BUREAU OF ANDIAL INDUSTRY. 53 i 



Second. There L.as been no disease, witliin the bounds speciGed by me, canaed by 

 the introdiiction of cattle from the western couutiea of Texas. Bat tliere was a vcrv 

 ]ieculiar and fatal disoaso jirevailing hist fall and winter, and by well-jHjstt'd parlies 

 it was attributed to the introduction of cattle fiom Louisiana, Florida, and ^liis- 

 sissippi. 



Lastly. I think that a careful and unbiased investigation of the so-called Texas or 

 splenic fever will establish the fact that it is confined principally to the Gulf coast 

 and adjoining counties, and is as prevalent in the other Gulf States as in Texas ; anil 

 furthermore, that the northern and northwc-stern part of Texas is as free from tin* 

 disease as any of the Northern States or Territories. 



KINNEY COUXTT. 



ATessrs. WoodhuU Brothers, Spofford. — In reply to your inquiries, we would moat 

 respectfully state that we have made some direct purchases and shipments of bulls, 

 heifers, stallions, jacks, horses, and rams froni north of the south line of Kansas, aud 

 brou<rht them direct here to this ranch for our own purposes and for sale. 



Our first purchase from the country near Kans'as City was in October, 1SS2, aud con- 

 sisted of 3 fine stallions, 3 jacks, and 4 bulls. All of this shipment lived here and 

 did remarkably well. The bulls are still alive, except one that got killed on the rail- 

 road last summer. I saw one of them on the range to-day; he is fat and fine as any 

 bull I ever saw, that ran out loose, in any of Northwestern States. 



Our second shipment from the country near aboiit Kansas City was in Juno, 18S3, 

 consisting of 12 stallions and 2 jachs, all of which have done well aud given entire 

 satisfaction. 



Our third shipment from about the same section was in November, 1883, consisting 

 of 51 rams, 13 bulls, and 6 heifers. This stock aU did very well, and only one of the 

 heifers died, and^that was not until a very hot day the following summer; she was 

 very fat and died suddenly before we could give her proper care and attention. 



Our fourth and last shipment from about the same locality was in March, 18d4, 

 consisting of 10 bulls, 3 stallions, and 2 geldings. We never have lost a single horse 

 or jack in any shipment. Of the above 10 bulls some of them became a little sick 

 upon the approach of warm weather, probably produced by the sudden change from 

 the cold weather in Missouri to the warm weather here. However, they all recov- 

 ered excei)t 2 that died, thus showing that the fall season is the beat time to bring 

 cattle from the North here. Wo have ahio made frequent i)urchases of <ine shoep 

 from Vermont and other States, and sustained very light losses in acclimating sam<i. 



We have purchased cattle from the central portion of Texas and had them deliv- 

 ered here in the spi'ing and summer months. Far from becoming ia any manner sick, 

 they all began to improve immediately after, and within twelve months from the time 

 they arrived here they looked so much better, larger, and like an entirely difi'ercnt 

 lot. 



We also have a herd of cattle brought here from Mexico. Not a single one of them 

 has died from fever or any other sickness. We have very frequently seen cattle 

 from Eastern ond Southeastern Texas, also from Louisiana and Alabama, brought to 

 thia section of the country, aud never saw or heard of a single instance of fever or 

 anything of the kind, but on the contrary, all the cattle seemed to take a freiih start 

 immediately after arrival here, grow out, and improve wonderfully; even aged cat- 

 tle seem to change, spread out, aud grow larger. 



Some men have made a very successful business by buying cattle cheap in Eastern 

 Texas aud Louisiana, bringing them out here to Western Texas for a year or two to 

 iatten and grow out, then selling them again at greatly advanced prices. Such a 

 tiling as fever Or sickness among them, or any other native cattle, is cntJrely uu- 

 known and unheard of here. 



Till- jirohibition, a barrier placed upon Texas cattle this year, has injure*! our State 

 m 11 1 i ons of dollars. 



Last year we sold our yearling steers at §13 here at the ranch ; now we are only 

 olTe) o<l S3 for the best ones. Many people who only have common stock are couipellod 

 to sell them ipv $G each, in order to procure money to buy the necessaries (if life. 



1 



KARNES COUNTY. 



Mr. W. G. Butler, Helena. — In reply to yours of April 25, I wonld say that I h.ave 

 purchased several cattle that came from north of the south line of Kansas, aud I hnve 

 lost none by acclimatization fever. I don't know of any disease occurring amongst 

 the cattle of the northern counties by Southern Texas cattle beiug driveu aud grazed 

 ou the same range in auy montli of the year. * 



