132 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



In tlic kidneys of animals taken from such places, I have invari- 

 ably found minute calculi, which may contribute in many cases 

 to irritate the generative organs and cause the woml) to throw 

 off its prodnct. Bnt the question I wish to ask is this : whether 

 in those parts of this State where abortion most prevails, the 

 subsoil is calcareous, or whether the water is or is not very 

 hard . 



There arc, of course, many other causes. If the generative 

 organs arc disposed to be weak, it may be from too early breed- 

 ing through a long series of generations, or the brain is more 

 particularly disposed to disease, all the animals produced, will 

 show the effect in one or the other organ, in the one case by 

 abortion, in the other case by paralysis or disease of the brain. 

 It is probable that smut in wheat or corn acts in some way upon 

 the womb. There is a record of nearly all tlie cows in Brazil 

 having aborted in consequence of eating corn affected with 

 smut. In Ilalle, Germany, a veterinary surgeon has found 

 that he could produce abortion at will, in apparently hcaltliy 

 stock, by placing one animal where it would smell the abortion 

 discharges of another. Whether it was from the smell of those 

 discharges, to which the cow is so sensitive, or from some other 

 cause remains to be seen. 



Mr. HuHHARD of Brimfield. I have heard various theories 

 stated in regard to the cause of abortion in animals. One gen- 

 tleman, who was formerly a member of the Board, and who was 

 in the State-house last winter, was very confident that he had 

 discovered the precise cause ; he was very sure that it was 

 transmitted from the bull to the cows. I have never suffered 

 from this cause until this year, but this year one-fourth part of 

 my cows have lost their calves. The bnll tliat has served my 

 cows has served several other herds in my vicinity, and 1 do not 

 know of a single cow, except in my own herd, tiiat has lost her 

 calf. There was a herd about a mile from mine that a few 

 years since had the same difficulty, one-half of the cows, per- 

 haps, losing their calves. Since that time, I have not heard of 

 a single case in that herd. 



It has been stated that this trouble was owing to the use of 

 too young a bull. This year, the bnll that served my cows was 

 not a young one. I do not know of any cause. All these 

 abortions occurred previous to the winter months ; the first was 



