REPORT OF THE STATISTICIAN. 31 



Norte, Tiiolumue, ami other counties which had not suffered from drought, 

 represent a better condition of sheep than usual. 



DISEASES or FARM-A]>JIMALS. 



Disease has not cut off an unusual number of farm-animals the past 

 year. Where cattle are most valuable, whatever the rigors of the cli- 

 mate or local scarcity' of feed, the loss by disease is comparatively small, 

 by reason of the care which is found by long and bitter experience to 

 be profitable. A large proportion of the losses reported is the result 

 of neglect, exposure, and insufficient or innutritions pasturage or other 

 feed. Some mortality and much reduction of flesh result from the in- 

 humanity of drovers, with the aid or abetting of transportation 

 companies. Several deaths were reported at Allegheny City, resulting 

 from the barbarous practice of stuffing animals with salted feed to in- 

 duce them to drink largely, for the purpose of making good upon the 

 scales the depreciation in weight occasioned by the deprivation and suf- 

 fering of the passage by rail. The occurrence of " murrain," "hollow 

 horn," and diseases reported by various meaningless names, so common 

 in the Southern States, where cattle are left to the tender mercies of a 

 rigorons Avinter, and dead, woody stalks of coarse grasses, might be 

 avoided in a large measure by adequate supplies and shelter. 



The rigors of winter proved conclusively the necessity of protection, 

 not only in the more northern of the southern states, but in Texas, 

 where large numbers of cattle, estimated variously at 100,000 to 200,000 

 head, have succumbed to the combined agencies of cold and starvation. 

 The pretence that shelter is unnecessary on the elevated plains of Col- 

 orado and Wyoming is also exploded, large losses, especially of Texas 

 cattle, having occurred during the winter. It is true that small herds, 

 and in some cases large ones, have been sheltered in the canons and in 

 the lee banks of streams, and wintered with little loss; but it is un- 

 merciful and untrue, to assert that no provision for shelter is or will be 

 necessary in those elevated pasture-grounds of the .plains and Eocky 

 Mountains. 



Horses. — Horses have suffered less than in some previous years. 

 Cases of the various forms of disease reported have generally' been 

 isolated. 



Lung-fever. — Horses have been comparatively free from this disease 

 throughout the country. Several fatal cases are reported from Aroos- 

 took County, Maine. The animals were affected with what at first 

 appeared to be a violent cold, soon followed by prostration and deatli. 

 Franklin County, Vermont, reports two deaths from this cause. A 

 feAv fatal cases are also reported from Chester County, Pennsylvania, 

 and Upshur County, West Virginia. The correspondent for Queen 

 Anno Conuty, Maryland, in writing of this disease, says : "Many horses 

 die shortly after the attack, from want of timely and proper attention ; 

 but when taken in time the disease will almost universally yield to 

 proper treatment and careful diet.'' 



Pneumonia. — But few cases are reported. It was, however, the pre- 

 vailing disease reported by the correspondent for Providence County, 

 Ehode Island ; and a few cases are heard from in Queens County, l^ew 

 York. 



Staggers is reported in Moore County, North Carolina; cases also 

 occurred in Bladen and Craven Counties. In the latter county it at- 

 tacked young animals chiefly, destroying at least 50 per cent, of those 

 attacked. Losses are also reported from Fairfield County, South Caro- 

 lina, supposed to have been caused by eating unsound corn, or that 



