34 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



LOCUST FUNGUS. 



During the past year the Division of Entomology has undertaken 

 a series of experiments for the eradication of locusts by means of 

 fungus cultures, with which the swarms of locusts are inoculated. 

 This division has cooperated in this work by preparing more than 200 

 tubes of these cultures for the Division mentioned. 



GLANDERS. 



It has devolved upon this division to prove or disprove, by means of 

 inoculation experiments, the diagnosis of glanders among the horses 

 and mules of the War Department which are stationed at St. Asaph, 

 Virginia, after they have been submitted to the mallein test. In all 

 cases where decided reaction has occurred the diagnosis has been con- 

 firmed, and the same has been the case with a number of mules which 

 showed a doubtful reaction. Material from an outbreak of glanders 

 near Ames, Iowa, was also referred to this division and the diagnosis 

 confirmed. 



FIELD INVESTIGATIONS. 



Salt-sick among the cattle in Florida. — During April last an attempt 

 was made to investigate a disease known as salt-sick, or salt-sickness, 

 which is reported to prevail to a considerable extent among the cattle 

 of central and eastern Florida. The time selected was, however, inop- 

 portune and no typical specimens of the disease were obtained for 

 examination. From the information gathered it seems probable that 

 the disease is chronic Texas fever, aggravated by malnutrition and 

 tick- worry. If, however, another opportunity presents itself the inves- 

 tigation will be continued this coming winter. 



Spinal meningitis. — A number of outbreaks of this disease have 

 been reported from eastern Maryland and Virginia, and in three cases 

 an inspector from this division was sent to the infected districts in 

 response to urgent requests. In no case has it been possible, however, 

 to obtain typical cases for investigation, as the animals affected had 

 either died or recovered by the time the inspector arrived. 



THE EXPERIMENT STATION OF THE BUREAU. 



HOG CHOLERA AND SWINE PLAGUE SERUM. 



The investigations concerning swine diseases, which have been con- 

 ducted at the experiment station for several years, were continued 

 throughout the yeai . Fully as much attention was given to the prepa- 

 ration of an antitoxic blood serum for the treatment and prevention 

 of hog cholera and swine plague, as in former years, and some progress 

 was made in reducing the price for which the serum can be manu- 

 factured. 



EXPERIMENTS IN IMMUNIZING AGAINST HOG CHOLERA AND SWINE PLAGUE. 



In addition to the serum work, extensive experiments were made to 

 find a method for immunizing against hog cholera and swine plague 

 without the use of an antitoxine animal. This work has not yet given 

 satisfactory results, but further experiments with this end in view 

 have been planned. One of the great obstacles encountered in these 



