532 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



La Salle, Dimmit, Maverick, Zavala, Medina, Uvalde, Kinney, Kerr, Kimble, Llano, 

 Mason, Menard, Crochet, Pecos, Presidio, Tom Green, Concho, Blanco, Hays, and 

 Comal. I bavo known several parties who have pnrchased thoroughbred bulls in 

 Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Iowa, and shipped thom into these counties 

 witli A'aricd experience. Sometimes nearly all have died, sometimes none ; generally 

 there has been a small loss. The loss in former years h;is been much larger than of 

 hiter vears. When a loss is sustained now the general opinion is that it is the result, 

 of bad managemeut very largely. Our own experience has been thatof success ; and 

 my own opinion is that with iiroper care shipments of this kind may be made into 

 any one of the counties I have named with reasonable security. 



i have known but three instances in as many vears of my own knowhidgo of the 

 shipment of cattle from eastern counties of TesaS into the counties I have named, 

 although no doiibt mauj'uiore have been made. From Ihose within my immediate 

 Icnowledge no harm was done to native cattle, and groat beneiit was apparent to the 

 Eafiteru cattle. • 



We drove 4,000 from Northern Texas (the extreme northern portion of Texas) to 

 our ranch in Uvalde County, and neither those driven there nor the natives were in 

 anvwise injuriously alfected. 



This section of country which I have named has an altitude of from 700 to 2,000 

 feet above the level of the sea, and is by mc considered the healthiest portion of the 

 United States for both man and beast. 



There has not, to my knowledge, been any disease among the cattle in this section 

 during my acquaintance with it, which has extended over about four years. I for- 

 merly resided at Saint Joseph, Mo. 



Many cattle have been ])urchased from this section this year for Colorado, and those 

 buyers have nearly all told mc that there is no danger from cattle driven over the 

 trail from this section. 



There seems to be an almost universal belief that there would bo danger from cat- 

 tle which had been shipped. 



I am of the opinion that the connties I have named produce entirely healthy cattle, 

 and quarantine against them is unjust and unnecessary. 



Dr. George B. Johnston, San Antonio. — Our secretary has handed me one of your 

 circulars. 



" Have you purchased any bulls or other cattle ?" 



Yes ; IG head of bulls and heifers of T. E. Miller, of Illinois. They were Herefords, 

 and arrived here February 28, 1885, They were shipped in box-cars, and were not uu- 

 loadetl on the way. They began to sicken April 20. Five died from fardlebouud or 

 congestion of the manifold. All were sick, some very low. Eleven are now weU and 

 quite fat. They were taken to my home farm, S miles out from San Antonio. 



In answer to your second question I would say that Mark Pruit, of Uva,]de County, 

 Texas, drove 400 head of stock cattle from near Houston to his ranch in Uvalde two 

 years ago. I inspected them last spring (to learn how such cattle do here) and found 

 they had no fever, and had given no disease to the native stock. 



Cattle grow larger and iuixirovo greatly by the change from Eastern to Western 

 Texas. The above stock did so most decidedly. His ranch stock and mine intermin- 

 gle freely. 



BEAZOS COUNTY. 



S. B. Stoddard, Bryan. — I have driven and shipped 3,000 to 4,000 head of cattle 

 each year, for the past eight years, from this county to Caldwell, Kans., and Fort 

 Dodge. No complaint ever reached ine as to the cattle being diseased, or communi- 

 cating disease to other cattle. 



BUEXET COUNTY. 



A. R. JoMson, Burnet. — Noticing your published address to the citizens of many 

 counties in Texas, I take the liberty of answering for Burnet County, although it is 

 not included in your request. We have an elevation of about 1,500 feet above sea- 

 level, with a broken and mountainous surface, and numerous streams of pure water. 

 I am confident that it is as healthful for man and beast as any other point in the United 

 States. 



In answer to your inquiries I will say that I have a number of Durham cattle on my 

 ranch, some of them thoroughbred registered stock, and none of them have ever shown 

 any signs of disease. I have driven cattle North myself, and have conversed with over 

 twenty-five responsible persons who have driven herds from this county Nortli, and 

 not one of them have ever known of any disease emanating from their cattle. And 

 there never has been an instance where complaint has been made against our cattle. 



CLAY COUNTY. 



Mr. W. S. Ikard, Henrietta. — I would eay that I have been buying cattle from Iowa, 

 Illinois, and Missouri for several years. About eight years ago I bought 10 Hereford 



