331 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



possible, so that there shall ever remain somewhere a collection 

 of the natural history of this Commonwealth. The Agricul- 

 tural College would seem to be the most fitting destination in 

 this respect, and the claims of that institution should be duly 

 considered when the decision to remove the Cabinet is made. 



THE AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY. 



The library connected with the office of the Secretary has 

 gradually but constantly grown, till it has become the best, with 

 very few, if any, exceptions, to be found in the country. It is 

 of great service to the public, more especially during the ses- 

 sions of the legislature, when it is largely used for consultation 

 and reference. 



THE CATTLE PLAGUE. 



Allusion has been made, on a previous page, to the dreadful, 

 disease which is now raging throughout England and Scotland, 

 baffling all the attempts of science and skill to check its devas- 

 tating course. No efforts that can be made to prevent its gain- 

 ing a foothold in this country would seem to be superfluous or 

 uncalled for. No language can describe the suffering and misery 

 which its spread here would entail upon us. The accounts of 

 its progress abroad do not seem to be exaggerated. Since its 

 advent ^n Great Britain it has gradually and steadily advanced 

 both kin territory and in fatality, till it is now, at the last 

 accounts, destroying over twelve thousand head of cattle a week ; 

 while the most trustworthy advices admit that little more than 

 half the actual cases are officially reported. If this is the case, 

 the real losses foot up to nearly twenty thousand liead a week. 



We can, therefore, form some idea of what we may expect, if, 

 through neglect to guard our widely extended coast, and 

 delay to adopt the proper precautions, it is allowed to land 

 and gain a footliold among our herds. And when it is consid- 

 ered that it niay be brought in the hides of animals, vast num- 

 bers of which are annually imported, or in the clothes of those 

 who come in contact with animals there, or in several species of 

 smaller animals, like the sheep, the goat, the deer, we must see 

 that the pi*ol)abilities of an invasion are by no means small, not- 

 withstanding the shortness of the period of incubation, which is 

 in our favor in our efforts to protect ourselves from it. 



