536 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



Connties) cattle from 'Wacltler and from Bco, Live Oak, and Goliad Conuties in the 

 8]>rinjf, summer, and fall of last year (1884), and vre have liad no disease of any kind 

 ■whatever np to the present time. The cattle are doing finely and have ahvayis beeu 

 Iioalthy. I also shipped from the connties of Live Oak, Xnecos, Bee, and Gonzales to 

 Wichita County some 3,000 head during the months of April, July, August, and 

 October, 1884. I never had one eick nor did they over affect any of the native cattle 

 there. I have some bulls brought from Ohio to Wichita which have never been sick. 

 One of my neighbors in Presidio County shipped from Ohio some 30 Hereford bulls, 

 which -wore with our native cattle and have never been sick. 



HAKRIS COUXTY. 



^^r. C. It. Cox, Houston. — In reply to the inclosed request for information, whilst my 

 ca! tie and the cattle belonging to the members of the Live Stock Association of 

 Sonthoast Texas aro all outside of the counties named in your circular, yet believing 

 information of the fullest character is what you desire, I will give you such informa- 

 tion as I can personally vouch for. I have 3 thoroughbred bulls (natives), all well 

 and thrifty, with scarcely any care of feed except what they get on the range. 



Mr. L. Winston and Mr. W. I. McNeel, who reside in Matagorda County, each, a 

 number of years ago, bought a thoroughbred Durham bull that did exceedingly well, 

 and lived many years without special care. These bulls were imported from Kansas, 

 while Mr. J. I. Sargent bought at the same time and from the same place several 

 Dnrhams, all of which died in a few years ; all of these parties are neighbors. About 

 three years ago a neighbor of mine moved 1,650 head of cattle from Brazoria County 

 to Crosby County. They have done exceedingly well; have had no disease, nor have 

 tliey imparted disease of any character to other cattle. Mr. John Duncan bought in 

 Brazoria and Matagorda Counties some 1,200 cattle which he located in Crosby 

 County. They have been very thrifty and healthy ever since, and have not infected 

 otliLT cattle. The cattle of Southern and Southeast Texas have never, as yet, been 

 Rubjcct to diso.-ise, so far as my knowledge and experience go, and I have been engaged 

 in (hn liuMuesss as .a specialty for twenty-live years. 



Mr. C. C. Gibb.<>, Jlousion. — Asa representative of southwestern railroad interests I 

 take this occasi(ni to ex])ress to yon our thanks for the consideration which you have 

 ' shown to the cattle interi'sts of Texas in the issuance of your recent circular asking 

 rinestion.s, which, if properly answered, will enable you to determine officially the 

 iiou-iufected portion.s of Texas. This is a matter of national importance, for the rea- 

 son tliati the tendency of the cattle business is to use our Southern ranges for nursery 

 grounds and tlie Northern ranges for maturing grounds. It is true that the liue as 

 drawn ])ractical]y proscribes the larger portion of business tributary to our road, but 

 I consider tbi.s inexorable, and while for the present it may militate against onr in- 

 terests, in the long run, 1 hope and think, it may redound to our benefit, believing 

 that ill the event of our moving coast cattle to Northern climates, should there be au 

 outbreak of disoa.sc, it would simply ostracize business from certain sections for a 

 long time to come. I coiiQdently expect that the railroads having connecting lines 

 from Tex.as to the Northern ranges will move considerable young cattle every year 

 from Texas. Wliilo the movement this year will be necessarily light, owing to the 

 unnecessary restrictions that have been I'l^'^ced by the Northern qnarautine ofiBcials, 

 wo will identify ourselves w^ith the movement, and conduct it in ."^nch a satisfactory 

 in.nnncr as to lead to its continnanco. We realize the fact that this movement can 

 only be made a success by throwing such restrictions around it as vC'ill protect North- 

 ern native cattle from all possible danger of fever, and we therefore greatly appre- 

 ciate the position you have taken in the premises. The interests of the railroads aro 

 identical with the interests of the cattlemen. We receive in freight on an average 

 about one-fifth of the price of the cattle that are marketed, and therefore the consid- 

 eration which you have shown for our interests is a recognition we deeply appreciate. 

 It shall be oar aim to extend to you our most earnest support in every way possible 

 for the promotion of your interest as well as that of the general i)ablic. 



JACK COUNTY. 



]\Tr. J. W. Colston, Gertrudes. — My attention has been called to a circular issiicd by 

 you, asking information regarding the so-called Texas fever within the borders of 

 certain counties enumerated. As secretary of the Young Company Cattle Raisers' 

 Association, I will answer for the connties of Young, Jack, and the southern part of 

 Archer and Clay. 



First. There have been numerous importations of blooded stock, including Dnr- 

 hams, Herefords, PoUed-Angus, llolstein, and Jerseys to the counties specified by mo, 

 and while some showed slight symptoms of acclimatization fever the majority went 

 through without any visible alteration, and, so far as my information reaches, none 

 have died. 



