a44 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



fecting has been performed by the State, and a little work 

 done with mallein ; but with the a})proi)riation.s available 

 the tendency has been to economize as much as possible in 

 every direction, in order to save every available cent for 

 the purpose of paying for tuberculous cattle. If more liberal 

 appropriations cannot be made, then would it not be better 

 to change this system for a few years, and expend a larger 

 proportion of the money for the eradication of glanders, as 

 the most serious problem at i)resent confronting us? 



The law provides a penalty for any one removing, trans- 

 porting or selling an animal with a contagious disease, if 

 the person knows or has reasonable cause to believe such to 

 be the fact. Persons disposing of glandered horses always 

 deny that they knew or suspected the existence of a con- 

 tagious disease, and it is therefore useless to prosecute cases 

 unless proof is forthcoming to show there was good reason 

 for believing the presence of glanders and farcy. There was 

 but one case in 1903 where the Chief of the Cattle Bureau, 

 with the assistance of the State police, prosecuted a man for 

 disposing of a glandered horse. This occurred at Lowell, 

 and a conviction was not secured, as it was not possible to 

 prove that the man knew the horse had glanders or farcy 

 when he sold it. 



Most of the work in connection with glanders during the 

 past year, as well as in the previous 3^ear, has been done by 

 or under the direct supervision of Dr. Howard P. Rogers, 

 an agent of the Cattle Bureau, and this opportunity is taken 

 to say that his efficiency and the interest he has shown are 

 most praiseworthy and commendable. 



Contagious Diseases of Swine. 

 During the year 1903, 36 outbreaks of contagious diseases 

 among swine upon as man}' different premises have been 

 reported to the Cattle Bureau from 23 cities and towns in 

 various parts of the State, scattered from Bristol and Essex 

 counties on the east to Berkshire on the west. In 2 re- 

 ported outbreaks no disease of a contagious character was 

 found to be present. The rest were all of the hog-cholera 

 type, as this portion of the report does not include swine 



