480 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



such test has been made by aa authorized out-of-the-State agent 

 of the Massachusetts Board of Cattle Commissioners. 



Each tested animal must have an ear-tag, furnished by this 

 Board at cost ; the number of the ear-tag must correspond with 

 the number on the certificate ; and the description on the certifi- 

 cate must also agree with the appearance of the animal, otherwise 

 the certificate will be considered valueless. 



Per order, 

 Massachusetts Board Cattle Commissioners. 



The fourth division of the work, the conduct of laboratory 

 and stable experiments to determine problems connected 

 with the work of the Board, has been fruitful of results. 

 Under this head may be classed the retesting of certain 

 herds that had previously been tested by the Board. This 

 work illustrates well the difficulty that sometimes exists in 

 freeing a herd from tuberculosis. The work has been tabu- 

 lated, and shows that in some cases the herds have been 

 tested several times, yet, although possibly to a less extent, 

 the disease still exists in many of these herds. 



Note. — The difference in these figures between the number of animals tested on the first 

 and later tests is accounted for by the purchase of new animals that kad been tested or by 

 the natural increase in the herd. 



