92 THE COMMON TICK. 



the blood of diseased cattle, conYcys the disease-germs to its 

 young, which carry it to other cattle invaded by them. In the 

 region south of the t^^o rivers mentioned above, the disease 

 is seldom fatal to the native stock, in the blood of which it 

 always seems to exist; at least it can be artificially inocu- 

 lated from apparently healthy southern cattle into healthy 

 northern stock. If native cattle are brought from the 

 northern regions into the permanently infected region they 

 are almost certain to contract the disease if permitted to run 

 at large. Younger cattle may be acclimated and not catch 

 the disease in its dangerous form. If southern cattle, carry- 

 ing with them such ticks, are sent north, tbe latter drop off 

 when mature and deposit eggs upon the soil of the pastures, 

 stables and yards; the young ticks, hatching in eighteen to 

 twenty-four days, thus reach other stock and as they carry 

 with them the microbe causing the disease and as they are 

 not slow to bite, they convey this disease, which in from t"wo 

 to three weeks developes into Texas fever. All these interest- 

 ing facts were discovered by the careful investigations made 

 by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



Remedies. — Though we do not find this dangerous tick 

 in Minnesota it is well to know the proper treatment, 

 especially as this is equally effective against the ticks found 

 here. Pine tar, one gallon; kerosene, fish-oil or crude car- 

 bolic acid, one quart; and powdered sulphur, two pounds, 

 should be thoroughly mixed. This makes an excellent salve 

 for sores, and will also protect animals against flies; as a pro- 

 tection fish- oil is better than either kerosene or carbolic acid. 

 The salve should be thoroughly rubbed in, and this operation 

 should be repeated from time to time. 



THE COMMON TICK. 



{Dermaeentor (Dnerlcanus L.). 

 This tick is the only one that is common in our state, and 

 very common in some localities. It is found especially 

 numerous upon hunting-dogs. As very little seemed to be 

 known about the life-history of this tick some full-grown 

 specimens, swollen with eggs, were put in a moist-chamber. 

 They were not slow in depositing immense numbers of eggs,. 



