484 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



to the people of the infected coimtrj", and that it also lowers the 

 assets of the South by an additional $33,000,000. These figures 

 are not given as accurate in any particular, but they are sufficiently 

 close to indicate that the loss to the quarantined section from the 

 cattle tick is something enormous. Such a series of encumbrances as 

 those recorded could be carried by the cattle industry of no other 

 section of the country than the South, whose excellent pastures, 

 rich soil, and salubrious climate are the only reasons for its ability 

 to overcome such obstacles in meeting the competition of the West; 

 and it is the inherent capacity of the South for greatly increasing its 

 herds and enlarging its pasture lands that makes the actual loss 

 even secondary to the potential loss from restrictions necessitated by 

 the presence of the cattle tick. This potential loss may be described 

 as the difference between the value of the cattle industry of the South 

 to-day and the extent to which this industry would be increased if 

 farmers and ranchmen were assured that their lands and cattle would 

 not become infested with fever ticks. Could this assurance be given, 

 the beneficial effects would extend over the entire country, because 

 the market of the northern breeder Avould thereby become greatly 

 extended. 



These appalling losses and annual sacrifices of the cattle raisers of 

 the infected district can be entirely effaced, and this at a small pro- 

 portionate cost; for, with enthusiastic stockmen, satisfactory State 

 legislation, sufficient money, and a corps of trained inspectors, the 

 cattle tick may be exterminated, and every dollar expended in this 

 work will be returned many fold during each succeeding year. 



The so-called period of incubation. — After the young ticks have 

 attached themselves to cattle the fever appears about 10 days there- 

 after, in midsummer. When the weather is cool, as in autumji, this 

 period may be a little longer. The actual period of incubation may 

 be shorter, for if blood from a case of Texas fever is injected into 

 the blood vessels of healthy cattle the fever may appear within five 

 days. When cattle graze upon pastures over which southern cattle 

 have passed, the time when the disease appears varies within wide 

 limits. Wh^n the animals have been put upon pastures immediately 

 after southern cattle have infected them with ticks, it may take from 

 30 to 60 days, or even longer, before the disease appears. This will 

 be readily understood when we recall the life history of ticks. The 

 southern cattle leave only matured ticks which haA^e dropped from 

 them. These must lay their eggs and the latter must be hatched 

 before any ticks can get upon native cattle. The shortest period is 

 thus not less than 30 days if we include 10 days for the period of 

 incubation after the young ticks have attached themseh'es to native 

 cattle. When the infection of pastures with ticks has taken place 



