Report of Secretary. 19 



THE WORK OF THE BOARD. 



At the last annual meeting you instructed the Executive Com- 

 niittee to employ a competent assistant for the State Veterinarian. 

 In compliance with this order, Dr. R. L. Allen, a graduate veteri- 

 narian, was appointed to the position of Deputy State Veterinarian, 

 and he entered upon his duties February 15, 1906. 



During the year 144 official visits have been made by the State 

 Veterinarian and the deputies, not including the inspection of 

 sheep scabies in Laclede county, and the fever tick inspection in the 

 southern part of the State. The most common of the contagious 

 diseases investigated was glanders among horses and mules. The 

 ailment in 118 of the total of 144 visits was diagnosed glanders, 

 and 160 animals were affected. This is an increase over the pre- 

 vious year of 48 horses and mules condemned on account of this 

 disease. In Kansas City there were 79 animals, which was an in- 

 crease of eleven, and in all of the rest of the State there was an in- 

 crease over the previous year of 37 animals. Most all of this in- 

 crease is due to the disease appearing in St. Louis, where horses 

 have been condemned under State authority, and in an outbreak 

 caused by infection, which western horses brought into Knox 

 county. 



FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



The interest in the farmers' institute work has equaled, if not 

 exceeded, that of the years before, but on account of most of the 

 meetings being held during the time of the political campaign, the 

 attendance was somewhat reduced. A number of meetings, how- 

 ever, had from 100 to 500 in attendance, with unusual interest. 

 Perhaps the banner meeting for the year in attendance and en- 

 thusiasm was at Pleasant Hope, Polk county, where it is estimated 

 there were 2,000 people in attendance, but on account of lack of 

 room, perhaps not more than 500 or 600 heard the lectures. The 

 plan inaugurated last year, of holding meetings in rural school 

 houses, has been continued, and forty such meetings have been held 

 this year, and a number of other meetings are planned for during 

 the winter. The plan is to hold a meeting in connection with the 

 school; the parents are invited and one of the institute lecturers 

 gives a lesson on some agricultural topic, which is, of course, 

 adapted to the children, while the address of the other speaker is 

 on some more practical subject. In the evening a farmers' meet- 

 ing is held and, as a rule, the house is full of enthusiastic farmers. 



