12 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



enforcing such rules as would tend to keep it from endangering 

 the herds of neighboring States. 



Indeed, it appeared to the Commissioners that far less apathy 

 in relation to a matter so serious and vital prevailed in New 

 Hampshire than in many portions of our own State. It is easy 

 for newspaper writers to hold up any subject to ridicule, and 

 for careless and unobservant persons to sneer at what they do 

 not understand ; but it remains, nevertheless, true that no one 

 has seriously and candidly examined into the character of this 

 disease, no matter what their preconceived notions and opinions, 

 who have not been forced to confess that no measures for its 

 eradication or its prevention should be left untried, nor any 

 care or attention intermitted that may possibly arrest this 

 scourge to farmers, and this fountain of disease to ou'r people. 



By order of the honorable council, the Commissioners were 

 " requested to cause such cattle as may be infected, or which 

 have been exposed to infection, with pleuro-pneumonia, to be 

 isolated, to determine the question of the contagiousness and 

 curability of the disease ; also, whether for the purpose of work- 

 ing, milking or breeding they have been injured, and to what 

 extent they h^ve been injured by exposure to disease, or by 

 having had the disease ; and also to ascertain, by slaughtering 

 .them at a sufficiently remote period, whether, and to what 

 extent, their fattening qualities have been injured." 



As the experiments instituted are not concluded, the result 

 will appear in a future report. 



The amount of bills audited, exclusive of the various suras to 

 which the several towns are liable, is thirty-eight hundred and 

 seventy-five dollars and ten cents, (13,875.10,) and by estimate, 

 it will require twenty-five hundred dollars to pay the outstand- 

 ing bills, making the total sum expended nearly six thousand 

 four hundred dollars, (!|6,400.) Respectfully submitted. 



E. F. Thayer, 

 Chas. p. Preston, 



« 



Commissioners. 

 To the Senate and House of Representatives : — 



Gentlemen, — Having received the appointment as Commis- 

 sioner on Contagious Diseases of Cattle, and not being able to 

 subscribe to the Report which the Board of Commissioners 



