1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



293 



of the towns and farms already visited by the disease bear wit- 

 ness. Stripped of the vital force which gave existence to their 

 agriculture, they present the sad and mournful picture which 

 nature always spreads over the deserted haunts of men. Farm- 

 ing without cattle — a ship without sails, a mill without machin- 

 ery, a city without inhabitants, the world without man. Of 

 those held in suspense, too, the condition is scarcely less wretch- 

 ed, with the prospect before them of a constant struggle against 

 disease, in whtch the expense and risk of cattle husbandry are 

 increased a hundred fold, and the present safety and vigor of 

 healih are exchanged for an enfeebled condition. 



In discharging their duty, the Commissioners desire the aid 

 and counsel of all those interested in agriculture. With a very 

 few exceptions, they have foun<l the farmers immediately affect- 

 ed by the disease, prompt to act in its suppression, and ready 

 to impart any information necessary to a thorough accomjilish- 

 ment of the work. The advice and sympathy of many of the 

 agricultural societies have been given through their agents, who 

 have visited the spot. Liberal contributions have been made 

 to a guaranty fund, to provide against any delinquency, which 

 it seems impossible should occur in the action of any future Leg- 

 islature toward compensating the sufferers from this terrible ca- 

 lamity. 



It seems proper that, in addition to this, the State Board of 

 Agriculture should make such recommendations as may prevent 

 the progress of the disease, and should sustain the Commission- 

 ers by all means in their power. It is highly important that 

 suggestions should ))e made to the several societies, with regard 

 to suspending their exhibitions of cattle the coming autumn ; 

 and that an effort should be made to induce each society to re- 

 linquish its annual appropriation from the State, for the pur- 

 pose of rendering the financial burden as light as possible. 



It is for these and other reasons that the Commissioners have 

 called the attention of the Board to the subject, with the assur- 

 ance that their call will not be in vain, and with the belief that 

 no subject has been brought before them more important in all 

 its bearings, or more entitled to prompt and energetic action. 

 Paoli Latdrop, ^ 

 Amasa Walker, > Commissioners. 

 Geo. B. Loring, ) 



North Brookfield, May 15, 1860. 



Mr. Peters, from the Worcester Society, stated 

 that persons remote from the infected districts do 

 not appreciate the nature of the disease, and men- 

 tioned several cases where the contagion was con- 

 veyed as far back as December 19. He urged 

 immediate and prompt steps ; thought Congress 

 should be memorialized, and that members of the 

 Board ought to go and see cases of the disease. 



Dr. J. C. Bartlett, from the North Middle- 

 sex Society, said he had not got a clear idea of 

 the nature of the disease from what had been said. 

 If it were contagious, he desired to know why 

 Mr. Chenery's stock had not spread the disease 

 around it ? 



Dr. Loring replied that the traces of the dis- 

 ease were as clear as fresh tracks upon the snow, 

 and that the reason why the disease had not 

 spread around Mr. Chenery's stock was, that he 

 had kept it entirely secluded, so that no opportu- 

 nity had been afforded for extending it. 



Prof. Clark, from the Hampshire Society, stat- 

 ed that he had visited North Brookfield, and was 

 satisfied that the danger is imminent. He of- 

 fered the following resolutions : 



Hesolred, That a Committee of three be appointed from this 

 Board to advise with the Commissioners for the extirpation of 

 the disease called Pleuro-Pneumonia, and to devise with them 

 the most active and efficiert mode of carrying out the object of 

 the Commission, and that they make a full report of their do- 

 ings to the Board. 



Fesolved, That the various agricultural societies be request- 

 ed to suspend their annual exhibitions of neat cattle the com- 

 ing autumn. 



lic'solved, That every effort be made to increase the guaran- 

 tee fund now being secured for the support of the action of the 

 Commissioners; and that each member of the Board be ap- 

 pointed a committee for his society to (select agents to) secure 

 subscriptions to the guaranty fund from every town in the State. 



These resolutions were adopted, after some dis- 



cussion, the third being amended by authorizing 

 the members of the Board to call public meetings 

 and meetings of their respective Agricultural So- 

 cieties, as well as to appoint agents to collect 

 subscriptions, and also to take such other meas- 

 ures as they may deem proper. 



Mr. Smith, from the Highland Society, spoke 

 of his visit to the infected district, and of his ef- 

 forts in various towns to awaken the people to a 

 proper appreciation of the impending calamity. 



Mr. Sewall, of the Norfolk Society, stated 

 what he had seen and heard at North Brookfield, 

 and suggested that a public meeting be held in 

 Boston to aid in securing a large guarantee fund. 



Mr. Davis, President of the Plymouth Society, 

 inquired whether the Commissioners themselves 

 entertained hope that the disease could be averted, 

 and the reply by one of them was, that under en- 

 ergetic measures it could be. 



Mr. Freeman Walker, of North Brookfield, 

 who has given the subject much investigation, 

 stated that the exposure of herds had been very 

 general in all the region of that town, and that 

 sales, exchanges and business transactions had 

 brought a large portion of the stocli into circum- 

 stances of decided exposure. He, therefore, 

 thought the views of the Commissioners almost 

 too hopeful. The disease is known to exist in 

 fifteen or twenty towns, mostly in Worcester 

 county, and he is of opinion that a guarantee 

 fund of $150,000 or $200,000 will be necessary 

 to meet the cost. 



In reply to Mr. Walker, Dr. Loring ex- 

 pressed his belief that present energetic measures 

 would result in arresting the disease. He said 

 the farmers had acted nobly in the matter — that 

 they had come forward and proposed to take a 

 fair proportion of the risk, and only ask the 

 State to share with them the losses they incur. 

 A long discussion ensued in relation to the nature 

 of the disease, and of the best means of extirpat- 

 ing it, and upon the resolutions offered by Prof. 

 Clark. 



In a later stage of the discussion, Mr. Felton, 

 from the Worcester South Society, stated that on 

 last Friday, May 11, 7iota case of the disease was 

 known to exist in the tOAvn of Brookfield, but that 

 to-day, May 15, it is probable that a liundred 

 cases exist there ! 



The committee elected to visit North Brook- 

 field consists of Prof, W. S. Clark, of Amherst, 

 John Brooks, of Princeton, and Charles C. 

 Sewall, of Medfield. 



Prof. Clark oflTered the following preamble and 



resolutions : 



JFJiereas, The disease called pleuro-pneumonia, now raging 

 in Worcester County, is unquestionably contagious and gener- 

 ally fatal ; and only the most energetic and thorough action can 

 contine it to its present limits, and prevent it from becoming a 

 National calamity ; and 



