212 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



after the leaves have fallen, or on pleasant days in the winter, 

 I go through my orchard with my saw ; see what limbs ought 

 to come out, and saw them off eight or ten inches from the 

 tree, and carry them to the brush-heap. I can then see just 

 what wants to come out. Then the next June I go round 

 with a sharp saw, and carefully saw off the stumps, and coat 

 them over in the manner I have described. 



Adjourned, sine die. 



CATTLE COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 



To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Common- 

 wealth of Massachusetts. 



The facts concerning the condition of the cattle of the State, 

 and the prosperity of our interest in stock husbandry, as 

 reported by the Commissioners on Contagious Diseases among 

 Cattle, for the year 1874, are substantially true respecting 

 those interests for the year 1875. Although severe losses 

 have been sutfered by stock-owners in other States and coun- 

 tries, by the prevalence of contagious disease in their herds, 

 we have been, in a great measure, exempt. The Spanish 

 fever, or "Texas cattle disease," which, in 1874, created great 

 alarm and much loss in some sections of the State, has been 

 again imported to us, in the same manner as in that year, and 

 with similar results. About the first of September, the Com- 

 missioners were notified by the selectmen of the town of 

 Cheshire, in Berkshire County, of the prevalence of an appar- 

 ently contagious and fatal disease among the stock of that and 

 the adjoining town of Lanesborough. Soon after, like inform- 

 ation was received from the town officers of Plainfield, in 

 Hampshire County, and of Hawley, in the county of Frank- 

 lin. As the case appeared to be of sufficient importance to 

 justify some action on the part of the Board, Dr. E. F. 

 Thayer, of the Commission, visited the town of Cheshire on 

 the 7th of that month, for the purpose of making an investi- 

 gation of the case. In company with the selectmen of the 

 town, he examined a herd of cattle belonsrinsf to William 

 Ingalls, and found several of them severely sick, and quite a 

 number had already died. By the examination of both the 



