194 EEPOET OF THE BUEEAU OP ANIMAL IKDUSTEY. 



It was very fatal then. I have no idea as to the tinie of its introduction into the 

 county. There has been very little of the disease since that time, it having been 

 confined to a few localities in the county, and lasted but a short time". 



CLAY. There is little hog cholera in this county this year. Some years hogs die 

 very rapidly from cholera, and then for two, three, four, or five years the disease will 

 not be destructive. It first made its appearance in this county about 1854-'55. The 

 cause is unknown. I can not give you anything correct in regard to death rate. 

 The disease has not prevailed this year. 



CLEVELAND. Hog cholera made its first appearance in this county in 1863. At 

 that time the county was full of hogs. It appeared in October and killed three- 

 fourths of the hogs in the county. It took the disease longer to go through the 

 country then than now. It makes its appearance every three or four and sometimes 

 five years. Previous to 1863 hogs were healthy. 



CONWAY. The disease called hog cholera was first known among hogs in this 

 county in the year 1876. Since that time it has occurred biennially. Two years ago 

 more than two-thirds of the hogs died. About one month ago the disease made its 

 appearance again, and since then a great many of the hogs of the county have died. 

 It seems to me more fatal to hogs that have been fattened. The disease seems to have 

 gradually moved up the Arkansas River since its first introduction into the county. 



CRAWFORD. There exists a great diversity of opinion in regard to the disease of 

 hog cholera. Some are of the opinion that the disease has been brought here by 

 importing fine stock for breeding purposes, but I am credibly informed that there 

 was one visitation of the disease " before the war." One correspondent thinks the 

 disease incurable, but that it may be prevented by the use of salt, copperas, turpen- 

 tine, ashes, etc. , and isolation. Another says he has not lost a hog for ten years. 

 He gives plenty of salt, some slops, and corn regularly. At this time there is no 

 cholera known to exist in the county. I think the idea that native hogs are exempt 

 from the disease is all a heresy. Cotton seed for pigs and shoats, if persisted in, is 

 nearly sure death. Bitter mast is not healthy for hogs. I believe isolation, with 

 salt and ashes, will nearly if not altogether exempt hogs from disease. A good 

 preparation to keep them in health is to take corn-cobs, put them in a pile, set fire 

 to them, and when pretty well charred extinquish the fire with salt brine, then feed 

 to the animals. 



CROSS. There is a difference in opinion in regard to hog cholera. Some think it 

 is caused by impure water or impure food. But it is always worse after a visitation 

 of the Buffalo gnats than at any other tune. I think the main cause is eating cotton 

 seed, and the poison from the Buffalo gnats. As to the year of its first appearance 

 in this county ^ can not say, but it has been here for at least twenty-five years. The 

 laws of this State now prohibit any feeding of cattle on cotton seed outside of an 

 inclosure. This may help the cause some. 



FRANKLIN. It is thought by many of the most observant farmers that hog cholera 

 was introduced into this and adjoining counties with the introduction of the im- 

 proved breeds of hogs. I do not remember the year it made its appearance some 

 fifteen years since, however. For several years it seemed to be mostly confined to 

 and was more fatal among the Berkshire and breeds crossed with the Berkshire than 

 among other breeds of hogs. The common hogs of the country were exempt from 

 cholera. The county being new and sparsely inhabited, hogs measurably subsisted 

 on the range. They were healthy, industrious, and self-sustaining. But when the 

 improved breeds were brought into the country, supported on grain, and confined 

 to the inclosures, cholera began to make its ravages among them. So far no reliable 

 cure has been found here. Those who feed well and give their hogs salt, ashes, 

 charcoal, copperas, and other things, in the main have healthy and thrifty hogs, 

 and lose but few from disease; while those who do not feed well and give but little 

 attention to them lose largely. 



DESHA. Hogs have died here since 1862, in large numbers, with what the people 

 call hog cholera. Its introduction seemed to be spontaneous, and no cause is known. 

 Hogs in this county run at large in the range, and no man knows how many the 

 "hog thieves" get, how many the wild cats eat the wolves, the bear, panther, all 

 have their share with hog cholera, and the owner perhaps gets one-fourth and 

 of tener one-fifth or one-sixth of the whole. No remedy has been found for the dis- 

 ease, and very little effort is made by the people because they think the malady in- 

 curable. 



FAULKNER. The first time I ever knew of any hog cholera in this county was in 

 1862. Again in 1881 we had an outbreak of the disease, though some report cholera 

 almost any time when their hogs die. Hogs before taking the cholera seem to be 

 in good condition. I never knew a poor hog to die with the disease. I know of no 

 cause. I think that the red mange is our worst disease. It is always more fatal 

 after a heavy, bitter mast. When cholera gets in a bunch of fat hogs at night the 

 next morning three or four of them may be found dead in their beds. 



