86 



u other instruments as the local authorities shall 

 t( consider to be best suited for the purpose. " 



By the bye, I wonder whether our legislators 

 know that manure is a thing- of any value or use. 

 It really seems as if they are not aware that ordain- 

 ing that no manure be used, is in fact ordaining* that 

 no corn be grown next season. 



If the rulers of the country blunder in this way, 

 and fall into the confusion they have done, what 

 chance is there for the subalterns. None whatever, 

 as far as my observation goes. Inspectors, ma- 

 gistrates, farmers, veterinary surgeons, and police 

 authorities are all at cross purposes; and the number 

 of hard cases and unjust decisions, to judge by my 

 little district, must throughout the whole country 

 have been innumerable. To begin with, no two 

 veterinary surgeons can agree what is rinderpest 

 and what is not ; and no wonder, for there is no 

 absolute line between it and some other forms of 

 internal inflammation. Not far from me a farmer 

 had several sick beasts. The cattle doctor came 

 and pronounced the disease pleuro-pneumonia, (the 

 veterinary name for inflammation of the lungs, in its 

 various forms and consequences). Then the Inspector 

 came, said it was rinderpest, and ordered the animals 

 to be slaughtered. The owner expostulated in vain, 

 and slaughtered they were. Then it was shown to 

 be inflammation of lungs sure enough. It was like 

 Doctor Keats, the flogging head master of Eton. 

 A lot of boys were sent up to him to be examined 



