OCTOBER 369 



October 14. This afternoon we have been drilling rye, some 

 by itself, and some mixed with vetches, in that portion of field 

 No. 42 on Baker's which was under oats. This is a new crop to 

 us, but we are growing it now to furnish early sheep feed. The 

 land, which has not been manured, although it is very dry, seems 

 to be in nice order now that the roller and harrow have beeri 

 over it. 



The papers are constantly talking of tuberculosis in cows and 

 the tuberculin test. Till within the last year or so I do not ever 

 remember hearing of the one or the other ; but science is always 

 revealing fresh horrors to our sight, and I have little doubt but 

 that the experts speak truth when they say that a great deal of 

 consumption is caused by tuberculous milk. For aught I know 

 one consumes it daily in one's tea, and my best red-polls may be 

 afflicted with this abominable disease. But how are we to find 

 out ? It is all very well to talk of tuberculin, but nine people out 

 of ten have not the faintest idea what tuberculin is, and I 

 imagine that even nine veterinaries out of ten would look a 

 little vacant if suddenly asked to apply the test to a herd of 

 cows. If these scientific operations are to be carried out, there 

 ought to be in every county Government laboratories to which 

 farmers could apply for instruction and assistance. Moreover, 

 there ought to be Government inspectors to see that they did 

 apply, and to assess damages when it became necessary to destroy 

 affected animals. It is useless to leave it to the farmers them- 

 selves to take the initiative, as not one in twenty would ever 

 bother his head about the matter indeed, I doubt whether some 

 would stir if a scientific friend were to prove to them that their 

 cattle were a walking mass of tuberculosis. I believe that there 

 exist inspectors of dairies, though I never saw or heard of one of 

 them inspecting my dairy, and I doubt whether the duty is half 

 so efficiently or strictly performed as it ought to be. I know that 

 when I took over this farm I found that into the pond from which 

 the cows drank was led the entire sewage of a yard. I daresay 



BB 



