468 EEPOKT OF THE BUEEAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



cholera lias not prevailed here generally for about two years. Dur- 

 ing 1885, and for some years before that, the losses were vety heavy, 

 amounting in 1885 to probably 50 per cent., or 826,550. During 1866 

 the disease prevailed only in the third, fourth, and fifth districts, 

 and not so seriously as in the years before. I heard of a few cases 

 lately in the fourth district, bordering on Montgomery and Frederick 

 Counties. 



CARROLL COUNTY. 



I find along the line of the Western Maryland and Baltimore and 

 Ohio Railroads, in this county, that large numbers of dairy cattle 

 are kept, and large quantities of milk shipped daily to Baltimore, 

 while in other parts of the county butter is extensively made. It is 

 one of the richest grazing counties in the State. Many stock cattle 

 are also fed here during the winter. 



In view of the importance of the cattle interests of this county, 

 and of the fact that it is under the ban of quarantine from your De- 

 partment, I have taken the greatest pains in making my investiga- 

 tions. I have visited every neighborhood, and where there was the 

 slightest suspicion have examined every stable and animal. I have 

 not been able to find a single case of pleuro-pneumonia in the county. 

 In the neighborhood of Smallwood and Bird Hill, where disease was 

 found in 1886, and cattle were destroyed by Drs. Michener and Wray, 

 I made very careful investigations. I find that these gentlemen 

 effectually stamped out the disease from places where it existed by 

 killing affected and exposed stock. On the farm of W. H. West- 

 oway, near Patapsco, T found all healthy. On this place, in 1882, 

 pleuro-pneumonia was found by Dr. Le May, State veterinary officer. 

 Dr. Le May killed all affected animals. Mr. W es ^ owa v says the dis- 

 ease was brought to his place by a cow bought in Hanover, Pa. The 

 disease did not spread beyond this farm. 



I find in this county, particularly among dairy cattle, many cases 

 of tuberculosis in its various forms and stages. In a few instances 

 animals have been destroyed by my advice. There seems to be much 

 interest taken by the farmers generally in this disease, and a desire 

 for more thorough investigation and legislation. 



Some few cattle died from Texas fever in August last, on the 

 farms of Lewis Cash and George Dorn, near Middleburgh. These 

 deaths occurred among steers just brought from Chicago. The 

 disease did not spread to other stock, though other cattle were ex- 

 posed. 



Horses throughout the county seemed healthy. 



The farmers have suffered here for many years from the ravages of 

 the swine plague. Formerly immense numbers of hogs were raised 

 in this county, but, because of this disease, there are now not one- 

 fourth as many raised as before the disease was known. ' 



The lowest estimate given me as to the losses for last year was 20 

 per cent. There are in the county 7,984 voters. I think there are 

 usually here 3 hogs to a voter, amounting to 23,952, and at $5 per 

 head would amount to $119,760, value of usual hog crop. Twenty per 

 cent, of this would be $23,952, the estimated loss for last year. My 

 impression is that this is a low estimate for the actual loss by deaths. 

 It is hardly possible to estimate the loss to the county because of the 

 failure to breed hogs for fear of the disease. There is now some 

 disease in the county. 



