206 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



way that the particuhirs regarding the exact condition of 

 every herd can be told at any time. 



The inspectors have reported the particulars regarding 

 their examination of 123,908 head of neat stock. 



Too Much Work. 



As the organization of the work of the inspectors has 

 become more and more perfect throughout the State, the 

 amount of work coming to the Commission has grown until 

 at the present time it is perfectly overwhelming, and cannot 

 possibly be done with anything like the promptness which 

 its importance demands, and which any just consideration 

 of the interests of the owners of animals requires. The work 

 of the office takes the whole time of the clerk, and the 

 greater part of that of the secretary. Calls to examine sus- 

 pected quarantined animals are being received at the rate of 

 something over seven a day. These animals are so scattered 

 over the State, and take so much time to reach and examine 

 carefully, that it is impossible for the two remaining Com- 

 missioners to average to reach more than six of them each 

 in a week. As a result, inspectors are harshly criticised by 

 owners ; town officers are threatened with suits at law for 

 damages, arising from a prolonged quarantine ; and the Com- 

 missioners are attacked by all three for not properly attend- 

 ing to their duties. Unless some remedy can be found for 

 this state of matters, before very long, the result will be 

 disastrous. 



This pro])able difficulty was foreseen somewhat last year ; 

 and the Legislature then changed the law, which had made 

 it necessary for each animal to be examined by at least two 

 Commissioners before it could be condemned, so that the 

 condemnation can now be made by a single Commissioner. 

 The Board also asked, at that time, that it might be given 

 power to appoint competent agents, in various parts of the 

 State, who could be promptly sent to examine into, and re- 

 port to the Commissioners upon, such cases as it seemed 

 desirable to treat in this way, for any reason. This request 

 was not granted ; and, although the change referred to in- 

 creased the efficiency of the Board considerably, the event 

 has proved that some further immediate legislation in this 



