522 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



and transferring its duties to the State Board of Agriculture. 

 The only result was the continuance for another year of the 

 provision of the statute limiting the use of tuberculin to tests 

 of foreign cattle at the public markets, and of animals re- 

 ported as suspicious hy local inspectors. The testing of 

 cattle in response to voluntary requests was forbidden. In 

 view of the conditions prevailing, the commission did not 

 seriously oppose the continuance of the restriction of the 

 use of tuberculin, although it did not meet their approval. 

 A large number of the leading farmers, cattle owners and 

 agricultural experts in the State testified their approval of 

 the methods of the commission and of their use of tuber- 

 culin ; and several leading veterinarians from other States 

 voluntarily appeared to urge the committee to sustain the 

 commission, they believing that its methods and plans were 

 wise and necessary, and for the public good. 



For several months following the date of the last annual 

 report the work of the Board was hindered by lack of means 

 for testing and disposing of the cattle reported by the local 

 inspectors as suspected, on physical examination, of tuber- 

 culosis. 



The fact of the rapid accumulation of this class of cases 

 was set forth in our last annual report, together with the 

 statute which prevented our prompt action upon them, 

 which is section 37 of chapter 16 of the Public Statutes, 

 as follows : — 



No public officer shall make purchases or incur liabilities iu the 

 name of the Commonwealth for a larger amount than that which 

 has been appropriated by law for the service or object for which 

 such purchases have been made or liabilities incurred ; and the 

 Commonwealth shall be subject to no responsibility for the acts 

 of its servants and officers beyond the several amounts duly appro- 

 priated by law. 



As stated in our last report, " The commission considered 

 it more desirable to incur the expense of making the exam- 

 inations as soon as possible after receipt of the notice, free- 

 ing such animals as were found not to be tul)erculous, and 

 keeping the others in quarantine until it became possible, by 



