No. 4.] CATTLP] COMMISSIONERS. 465 



were not satisfied that they were not diseased, and the hides 

 and carcasses were given to the owners when the animals 

 were found to be fit for beef. Dec. 1, 1900, 48 cattle were 

 released from quarantine because there was a lack of funds 

 to pay for them, but some of them were requarantined and 

 killed after Jan. 1, 1901. In spite of these precautions, the 

 expenses of the commission exceeded its appropriation by 

 $3,408.11, and this amount was provided for by two defi- 

 ciency appropriations passed by the Legislature of 1901. 

 The appropriation in 1900 was $50,000, and in 1901 an 

 equal amount was again appropriated. It has been the aim 

 of the commission to keep within the limits of its appropria- 

 tions, and this past year it has succeeded in doing so, and 

 will have a margin of between $200 and $300 left to meet 

 any unexpected incidental claims that may be made. To do 

 this, it again refused to take any cattle after Dec. 1, 1901, 

 but only 10 or 12 animals were quarantined after this date 

 by the inspectors, showing a slightly improved condition in 

 the cattle of the State in 1901, as compared with 1900. 

 These few animals will be taken care of, if necessary, after 

 Jan. 1, 1902. 



From the work done in 1900 and 1901 it appears that 

 about 1/2 P ei * cent, of the neat cattle of the State are found 

 to be tuberculous, on a general inspection, the diagnosis 

 being based on a physical examination, and not on the tuber- 

 culin test. On a tuberculin test the per cent, of infected 

 cattle would of course be much larger, — at least 10 per 

 cent, of the bovines in the State ; but most of them have 

 not sufficient disease to be a danger either to other animals 

 or the health of the community. The appraised value of 

 animals killed by order of the commission has been steadily 

 decreased from year to year for the last few years. In 1900 

 the average paid per head was $21. 66; in 1901 it was further 

 reduced to $20.36 per head. The average appraisals of the 

 different agents is also much more uniform now than in 

 the past. The reports of inspectors from various parts of 

 the State, at the close of the 1901 inspection, shows an 

 improved condition of the live stock over any previous 

 year ; but at present it seems that it will be necessary to 



