A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



from Canada ; Texas fever and quarantines were dis- 

 cussed. Only three theories, with any following, 

 were presented. The first was a theory advanced by 

 scientists which argued that Texas fever resulted 

 from a small egg or sporule, deposited upon the 

 blades of grass in Texas. The blades, being eaten by 

 the cattle, enabled the sporule to find its way into 

 the blood and grow to be well-defined, under the 

 microscope, resulting in disorganization of the blood 

 and a fever of deadly character. The second theory 

 was that Spanish or Texas fever came from such 

 causes as fever aboard emigrant ships, privation, 

 hard usage, and insufficient feed, water and rest. 

 The third theory was ticks, which, dropped from 

 Texas animals, were eaten by domestic animals, with 

 fatal results. 



Texas was without representation at the meeting, 

 from which prejudice was spread with more or less 

 justification over the whole United States against 

 Texas cattle, setting the industry back many years. 

 About this time the nucleus of the now great pack- 

 ing industry began to form, but for the moment I 

 shall only write of it as it came Into my own life. 



One Joseph Whittaker of Cincinnati gave a 99- 

 year lease on some valuable vacant property for city 

 park purposes. He received a yearly income which 

 looked big then, and, with cattle and hogs at low 

 value, furnished a good working capital, protected 

 by a handsome annual Income. He came to Leaven- 



[4] 



