272 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



purchase of new milch cows to replenish the stock, rather 

 than raising young animals for this purpose. 



Experiments might well be undertaken b}^ the Cattle Bureau, 

 with an expert consultant like Dr. Theobald Smith to direct 

 them, at the Agricultural College Experiment Station or 

 some suital)le place, if funds for this purpose could be pro- 

 vided, with a view to studying the efficacy of Von Behring's 

 and other methods, and, if a satisfactory result was obtained, 

 the benefits could be placed at the disposal of our farmers. 



If work Avere undertaken in this direction certain questions 

 could be solved in a few months, while other experiments 

 would require a period of two or three years. 



Glanders. 



It is ground for encouragement to be able to state that 

 there has been a continued diminution in the number of cases 

 of glanders in Massachusetts during the year ending Dec. 

 15, 1905, from the [)revious year. 



As far as it is possible to ascertain (and the means of the 

 Cattle Bureau for obtaining reports are fairly conq^lete), 624 

 horses have l)een killed or have died with glanders or farcy 

 in Massachusetts during the year ending Dec. 15, 1905. 

 This is 185 less than in 1904 and 23(> fewer than in 1903,— 

 in fact, less than during any year since 1899, when the num- 

 ber of positive cases was 543. At that time, however, the 

 means of obtaining full and complete reports were not as re- 

 liable as at present. 



The total number of horses or nuiles reported as having 

 glanders, or dealt with, has been 899. Of these, 275 have 

 been negative ; some have been reported as sus})ected of 

 having glanders or farcy by the local inspectors of animals 

 or others, and upon examination have been found to be free 

 from contagious disease ; the remainder are animals that 

 were in stables where the mallein test was a])plied, and after 

 one or more tests were released as free from infection. 



The decrease in the number of cases of glanders during 

 the past two years must be; largely ascribed to the patient 

 and unremitting toil of the agents of the (\ittle Bureau. 

 Another important factor is believed to be due to sending 



