452 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Under this provision of the law and in response to this 

 order the Board has received returns from fifty-nine cities and 

 towns. JS T ew forms for licenses under the provisions of the 

 act of last year were prepared by the Board, and furnished, as 

 heretofore, to such towns as desired them, free of charge. 

 The form of these licenses varied but slightly from the form 

 used and printed in the report of last year (see page 168, 

 report of 1894). 



The duty of inspecting animals at the time of slaughter in 

 these establishments is, in but comparatively few instances, 

 imposed upon those who are also inspectors of herds, so that 

 a very material portion of the work of those appointed to 

 these positions consists in the inspection at the time of slaugh- 

 ter of all neat cattle, sheep and swine slaughtered at these 

 establishments. Full directions in relation to this work were 

 given by the commission to such inspectors in the letter of 

 instructions, already printed on pages 434-443 of this report. 



Returns of this inspection of slaughter houses are required 

 to be made by each inspector once in each month ; and these 

 returns received since the time at which the law was changed, 

 in June last, up to the fifteenth day of December, show the 

 following results : — 



Number of cattle inspected at licensed slaughter houses at time 



of slaughter, 18,738 



Number of sheep inspected at licensed slaughter houses at time 



of slaughter, 36,720 



Number of swine inspected at licensed slaughter houses at time 



of slaughter, 2,779 



It was further provided, by section 21 of the law of 1894, 

 that wherever any person slaughtered any of his own cattle 

 upon his own premises, other than a slaughter house, such 

 person shall cause the carcass to be inspected at the time of 

 slaughter, " unless such animal has been duly inspected under 

 the provisions of this act within six months prior to such 

 slaughter, and a certificate of health has been delivered to the 

 owner or person in charge thereof." This law was amended 

 to read, "unless said animal is less than six months old, 

 or has been duly inspected under the provisions of this act 

 within six months prior to such slaughter, and a certificate of 



