BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 113 



dipped mider bureau supervision in order that they might continue 

 in interstate commerce. Sheep to the number of 20,597,232 were also 

 inspected for communicable diseases, and of these 884,294 were 

 dipped under bureau supervision to comply with the regulations of 

 the department or of the States of destination. 



An outstanding feature of this work during the year was the great 

 increase in the number of swine immunized against hog cholera in 

 order that they might be distributed from public stockyards for pur- 

 poses other than shiughter. The number so immunized after care- 

 ful inspection was 614,673, an increase of 140 per cent over tlie pre- 

 ceding year. 



Upon request of transportation companies and shippers or to com- 

 ply with laws of States to which shipments were destined, bureau 

 veterinarians inspected 17,346 horses and mules, of which 5,854 were 

 tested with mallein, 9 showing reactions. 



During the year 24,655 cars carrying animals affected with com- 

 municable diseases were received at bureau stations. In compliance 

 with department regulations or on request of Canadian Government 

 officials. State officials, or transportation companies, 44,843 cars were 

 cleaned and disinfected under bureau sui^ervision. 



VIOLATIONS OF LIVE-STOCK TRANSPORTATION AND QUARANTINE LAWS. 



The bureau has continued to report to the Solicitor of the de- 

 partment, for presentation to the proper officials of other depart- 

 ments, cases of apparent violations of live-stock transportation and 

 (juarantine laws. Many of these cases have required special investi- 

 gation on the part of bureau emplo^^ees, such as interviewing wit- 

 nesses and examining railroad and other records. Five bureau em- 

 ployees were regularly assigned to this work, though the greater 

 ]>art of the work of collecting evidence and preparing and sub- 

 mitting reports is done by bureau employees at stockyard centers, 

 in connection with their other duties. The enforcement of the so- 

 called 28-hour law has resulted in better facilities being provided 

 for the feeding, watering, and handling of live stock in transit. 



TICK ERADICATION DIVISION. 



The work for the suppression of Texas or tick fever of cattle 

 and the extermination of the ticks which transmit it has again shown 

 greater progress than in any previous year. This work is conducted 

 through the Tick Eradication Division, of which Dr. R. A. Ramsay 

 is chief, in cooperation with the authorities of the Southern States 

 a fleeted. 



PROGRESS IN TICK ERADICATION. 



Areas aggregating 79,217 square miles, having been freed of 

 ticks, were released from quarantine during the fiscal year. This 

 action makes available 93 counties and 33 parts of counties into 

 which better-bred cattle from tick-free States may be safely in- 

 troduced, with consequent increase in beef and in dairy products. 

 The total area released since the beginning of this work in 1906 

 amounts to 458,529 square miles, which is nearly 63 per cent of the 

 originally infected area. The work is also far advanced in a large 



