REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF A1STIMAL INDUSTRY. 311 



comfortable shed southern exposure. During the blizzard of December and Janu- 

 ary the Herefords remained under the shed, but ordinarily northern preferred the 

 brush (live-oak and "shinery"). Col. R. H. Overall, of our county (now absent), 

 two years ago purchased some 35 or 40 head of graded Herefords, I think in Mis- 

 souri ; shipped them to his ranch in this county, and has lost but few, if any. He 

 turned them loose on his range (pasture 30,000 acres), and fed them during winter 

 on sorghum. His purchase was yearlings; mine calves eight to twelve months old. 

 Some few hornless cattle, Galways and Polled Angus, have been successfully intro- 

 duced and raised in the county. Shorthorns introduced before the completion of 

 our railroad did not do well; losses were very heavy, which were attributed to the 

 long drives necesary to reach us. A great many cattle from eastern Texas have 

 been brought into this county. Our native cattle have contracted no disease from 

 them, and they have invariably improved on our range, acquiring flesh fast and 

 their issue increased in size. I have never believed any disease, such as "Texas 

 fever" or " splenic fever," originated in cattle north of latitude 81, and have some 

 doubts as to its existence north of 30. Our winters are cold enough to kill out any 

 such disease. We have no marshes, swamps, or stagnant water, and the only dis- 

 ease among our cattle to amount to anything has been poverty caused by over- 

 stocked ranges. 



Mr. A. S. Brown, Coleman, Coleman County: 



In reply to your circular letter I will say that Mr. R. R. Bowen, Coleman City, 

 bought 3 grade Durhams less than one year old, shipped here from southwest Mis- 

 souri, and has lost none. Mr. C. A. Childs, of this county, bought 17 from the 

 same herd, and has lost 1 from fever. They were shipped to this point in the win- 

 ter of 1886-'87. A good many cattle have been shipped from eastern Texas to this 

 county. Any deaths that have occurred among these cattle was the result of starva- 

 tion. Indeed, fever in cattle shipped from any part of Texas to this county is un- 

 known. 



Mr. E. Q. Kriegner, Spring Branch, Comal County: 

 In reply to circular dated February 13, 1888, " to the owners of Texas cattle," I 

 state to you as follows: William Prutchett, of Frankford, Pike County, Mo., brought 

 to this section, in 1879, 25 cows and 12 one year old bulls. All of the cows died 

 within a few weeks of acclimation fever. Three of the bulls took the disease but 

 recovered; 2 of the last 3 bulls are still alive. The balance of the bulls died also 

 in a short time after their arrival. The stock was imported during the winter 

 months. 



To .question 2 I have to answer that I don't know of any cattle which were brought 

 from eastern counties of the State to this section. There is no fever or any other 

 disease amongst cattle in this section. 



Mr. P. R. Clarke, Comanche, Comanche County: 

 I bought 1 bull in the spring of 1887 from a party in Fort Worth ; shipped him to my 

 ranch in Comanche County. He did well ; has had no fever. This winter I bought 

 7 head pure-bred Herefords. Three took the fever; 2 died; 4 have not been sick to 

 date. The 3 that took sick were raised by Davis, Whitney & Co. , of Pittsfield, Ohio. 

 I bought 4 of William Powell, of Beecher, Will County, 111. ,. none of which have 

 been sick. My neighbor has lost 2 out of 5; he bought of same party from whom I 

 purchased mine. I live on the cattle trail from the south, which is now closed. My 

 cattle are more healthy since the drive over my range has stopped: there was no 

 marked disease though. In winter they died considerably; they got weak in their 

 loins, passing from the bowels quantities of yellow mucus. On taking off their 

 hides I found in many cases large patches of yellow and bloody mucus, especially 

 on their legs. Frequently the throat was found badly swollen. Now, while I have 

 lost cattle from poverty, I know that poverty was not the cause of such severe 

 losses as I have sustained. My loss the two winters past has not been more than 2 

 or 3 per cent. Prior to that time from 20 to 30, and once as high as 50 per cent. 



Mr. G. A. Beeman, Comanche, Comanche County: 

 In reply to your circular of February 13, 1 inclose statements from T. J. Holmsly 

 and H. R. Martin, two of our oldest and most extensive stockmen. I can only add 

 my testimony to theirs. Having transacted business in cattle for a number of years, 

 in all my driving to the Pan Handle and west I have never known our cattle to 

 affect cattle there. I have also known a number of cases where our cattle con- 

 racted the splenic fever by coming in contact with cattle from more southern coun- 

 ies. Feeling that this section justly deserves to be exempt from the operations of 

 he quarantine laws, I trust you may be able to thoroughly establish the fact. 



