The Bulletin, 47 



The loss occasioned by the presence of cattle ticks in these twenty counties 

 was certainly not less'than $(JO,flOO anmially, which is fully twice what it has 

 cost to clean thoni of tides. Moreover, the succosslul work of Iho North 

 Carolina l)o[)artniont of Ayricnlturo in eradicating' ticks from infected terri- 

 tory, first demonstrated to the world the feasibility of eradicating; tiie cattle 

 tick from larfxe areas, and this has been chietly responsible for the fact that 

 the Federal (Jovernment is this year exjionding $150,000 in this work, a good 

 share of which is coming to North Carolina. 



CONTROL or ANIMAL DISEASES. 



The Department endeavors to investigate all outbreaks of disease when 

 there is reasonable ground to suspect that it is of a contagious or infectious 

 nature, or when there is a sutHciently large number of animals affected to 

 make the outbreaks of general interest to a conmiunity, but no calls are made 

 by the Veterinarian for private cases or individuals at the expense of the 

 State. To illustrate the practical utility of this line of work it may be stated 

 that during the past live years several outbreaks of the disease known as 

 glanders have occurred among horses and nmles, and have been effectually 

 controlled by the Department Veterinarian without serious loss or spread of 

 the disease. 



farmers' institutes. 



The Department of Agriculture is, by law, given charge of farmers' insti- 

 tute work in this State. 



In 1898 there were held only twenty-eight institutes, whereas, during the 

 past year there have been held 1G9 institutes for the men and women on the 

 farms and the attendancce has been about three times what it was six or 

 seven years ago. 



The institute is intended as a purely educational institution for the men 

 and women on the farms who have passed the age when it is practicable for 

 them to attend school or college. Nothing but strictly agricultural subjects 

 are discussed at these meetings, and as far as possible the discussion will be 

 directed along those lines which tend to increase knowledge in the production 

 of our crops and thereby lessen their cost. 



While this State is probably doing more institute work than any other 

 Southern State, it also has the distinction of being the first to inaugurate 

 institutes for the women from the farm homes, which is destined to accomplish 

 so much for the improvement of rural conditions. It is the purpose of these 

 women's institutes to show how improvements may be made and are within 

 reach, with the facilities already existing, or easily obtainable. 



Fifty of these women's institutes have been held during the past year, 

 and the demand for them is already far beyond the facilities for holding 

 them. 



immigration. 



From its inception the Department of Agriculture has had to do with immi- 

 gration, because the Constitution of the State designates it the "Department 

 of Agriculture. Immigration and Statistics." From time to time the question 

 has engaged the attention of the Board. The fact that the people of the State 

 have not approved of what is generally covered by the term "indiscriminate 

 immigration" has controlled the efforts of the workers in the Department, 

 limiting them to inviting only home-seekers and persons of sufficient means 

 to enable them to become investors in one way or another. 



But there is to-day, as never before, a demand for honest, industrious, law- 

 abiding settlers and laborers to come. Our farmers complain that labor at 

 any reasonable price cannot be had ; that if more wage is to be paid, it must 

 be met with more efficiency, more intelligence and more loyalty than has 

 characterized the labor of the past. They want labor that will work six days 

 in the week and that will give reasonable attention to all kinds of farm stock 

 and tools and work with a view of securing the best results. The Department 

 has begun the work of supplying the class of people needed. It is slow. It 

 must be, in order to make proper selection. Our people have voiced a pref- 

 erence for English speaking people, those from the northern and western 



