222 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Now, this appropriation enabled the commissioners to kill 

 the leading herds where the disease existed, but there were 

 threads leading out from these places where cattle had gone 

 that had not vet been found, and where it was alto2:ether 

 probable that the disease would still be found to exist ; and 

 these facts were reported to the Legislature of 1861 in the 

 annual report of the Cattle Commissioners, but the Legisla- 

 ture in its wisdom decided that it would make no appro- 

 priation that year ; it thought that what was left of the 

 disease in the State would doubtless die out, and no appro- 

 priation was made, and as a result the Cattle Commissioners 

 resigned. The disease did not die out. It was found exist- 

 ing in the State in secluded spots, and in 1862 the Board of 

 Agriculture — now you mark, gentlemen, this law comes 

 back to the Board of A^jriculture — the Board of As^riculture 

 memorialized the Leo-islature, setting forth the facts in the 

 case, and asking for another appropriation for the purpose 

 of finishing the disease. An appropriation was made ; the 

 work went on, and the Cattle Commissioners made their 

 annual report in 1863, and said, "It is very doubtful 

 whether we have killed out all the threads of the disease that 

 have been scattered through the Commonwealth," and they 

 asked for another appropriation. The Legislature in its wis- 

 dom refused to make the appropriation in 1863, and the 

 Board, of course, resigned; but in 1864 the Board of Agri- 

 culture, not satisfied, memorialized the Legislature again, 

 and an appropriation was made, new commissioners were 

 appointed, and the work went on. The ctmimissioners 

 reported in that year, 1864, that it was doubtful whether the 

 disease was absolutely stamped out. An appropriation was 

 made in 1864, and again in 1865, but after 1864 the Cattle 

 Commissioners reported that from 1864, that is, in 1865 and 

 1866, not a case was found in Massachusetts, and all the 

 threads of that disease had been traced out. The last dis- 

 eased cattle found w^ere just over the line in New Hampshire. 



Now, then, let me make this statement, because I find that 

 the people of the Commonwealth, the farmers of the Com- 

 monwealth, have not taken it in fully. There has never been 

 a case of contagious plcuro-pneumonia in the State of Massa- 

 chusetts since the year 1864. That ended it ; it was stamped 



