THE RAZOKBACK 131 



swine. If I can keep the specific micro-organism 

 that causes hog-cholera off my place, I need not 

 fear the disease. The same is true of swine 

 plague. These diseases are of bacterial origin, 

 and are communicated by the transference of 

 bacteria from the infected to the non-infected. 

 I propose to keep my healthy herd as far re- 

 moved as possible from all sources of infection. 

 I have carried these precautions so far that I 

 am often scoffed at. I require my swineherd, 

 when returning from a fair or a stock show, to 

 take a full bath and to disinfect his clothing 

 before stepping into the pig-house. This may 

 seem an unnecessary refinement in precautionary 

 measures, but I do not think so. It has served 

 me well : no case of cholera or plague has shown 

 itself at Four Oaks. 



What would I do if disease should appear? 

 I do not know. I think, however, that I should 

 fight it as hard as possible at close quarters, 

 killing the seriously ill, and burning all bodies. 

 After the scourge had passed I would dispose of 

 all stock as best I could, and then burn the 

 entire plant (fences and all), plough deep, cover 

 the land white as snow with lime, leave it until 

 spring, plough again, and sow to oats. During 

 the following summer I would rebuild my plant 

 and start afresh. A whole year would be lost, 

 and some good buildings, but I think it would 

 pay in the end. There would be no safety for 

 the herd while a single colony of cholera or 



