12 CATTLE DISEASES 



culture imposing restrictions on the movement of animals 

 has been looked upon as a hardship, and petitions and depu- 

 tations have been sent from local bodies asking for the imme- 

 diate removal of the regulations " because it hampers local 

 trade so much." Wild letters are inserted in local papers 

 stating that " farmers were not harassed in this way in the 

 old days, cattle were not slaughtered, and most of them 

 recovered." The imposition of any regulations upon any 

 given area is the signal for every crank in or near that area 

 to write and talk as if the Board of Agriculture were the cause 

 of all the trouble. 



Previously to 1866 no machinery existed for voicing the 

 tragedies or expressing the opinions of agriculture, although 

 Mr. Clay refers to some 400 Farmers' Clubs and Agricultural 

 Societies as being " ready to hand." These Societies had 

 been used as a means of getting together the " Cattle Plague 

 Meeting," with some success, but it was soon found that these 

 400 institutions were by no means " ready to hand." Farmers' 

 Clubs were started to discuss practical questions for the 

 mutual benefit of their members, and there their functions 

 ended. Agricultural Societies existed for the purpose of 

 holding exhibitions and ploughing or other competitions ; 

 and, as we know now with more experience, it takes long 

 years, much eloquence, and strenuous effort to move any 

 agricultural organisation out of its particular groove. Under 

 these circumstances it is not surprising to find that the very 

 first resolution (other than those relating to the formation of 

 the Association itself) related to Animal Diseases. It was 

 proposed on 6th November, 1866, by Mr. Clare Sewell Read, 

 M.P., seconded by Mr. T. Duckham, and carried unani- 

 mously : 



" That the Chairman wait upon the Privy Council and represent 

 that it is the unanimous opinion of the Council that the Orders 

 now in force regarding Cattle traffic be continued to the end of 

 this year. 



" That a circular be sent to local Chambers asking their opinion 

 on the present regulations respecting Cattle Traffic, and their 

 views as to proposing any new regulations for the consideration 

 of the Privy Council, to succeed those now in force." 



