THE 



AOBICULTUBAL 



JOURNAL. 



179 



Sheep-pox. 



This disease broke out amongst tlie 

 large Uovemmeut floclcs at tiie Eidaiiia 

 iJavine iu June, 1900. 



It was accountable for the deaths of 

 several hundred head of sheep and goats. 



1 am glad to say, however, that with 

 isolation and other methods the disease 

 has been stamped out, and the road 

 opened for the passage of sheep and 

 goats. 



I may add that the Masai helped me 

 very considerably in my efforts to eradi- 

 cate this disease. 



Liver Fluke. 



This parasite is ubiquitous in the two 

 Protectorates, and must be the cause of 

 a large mortality among the smaller 

 ruminants. 



Much could be done by draining and 

 salting the swamps, to curtail this para- 

 site's means of propagation and liveli- 

 hood. 



Malarial Fever. 



A large number of cattle suffered 

 from this affection when brought from 

 tile hot, low-lying country to tlie high- 

 lands, and deaths were not infrequent. 



Large doses of quinine given per anuin 

 and hypodermically were found most 

 beneficial. 



Tuberculosis. 



I am happy to state that no single case 

 of this insidious disease has ever come 

 under my notice during a three years' 

 stay in the country. 



In submitting the above report I may 

 be permitted to urge the advisability of 

 utilizing for purposes of transport an 

 animal which is naturally ininume 

 against the ravages of the tsetse fly dis- 

 ease and horse sickness. I refer to the 

 zebra, of which, as you are no doiil)t 

 aware, there is an enormous number. 



I am convinced that should the Gov- 

 eiiinieiit enter upon a scheme for its 

 domestication, it would prove one of 

 great value, and that at no verv distant 

 date a supply of animals would 'be avail- 

 able, not only for African . service, but 

 also for Army transport work at Home 

 f»r in India. 



The great difficulty so far has been the 



domestication of the adult animal. 1 

 have, however, to suggest the following 

 plan for obtaining a possible way out of 

 llie dilUculty. 



1 would propose that a kraal be formed 

 within a district where firearms are non- 

 e.xistant, as in the case of a preserve. The 

 kiaal would have two extending arms 

 leading from the open country into it, 

 iuid would be constructed large enough 

 to hold a herd of, say, 50 adult animals. 



Several mounted Cape boys would be 

 employed, whose duty, in the first in- 

 stance, would be to accustom the zebras - 

 in the neighbourhood of the kraal to the 

 sight of horses or mules. 



If my anticipation prove correct, the 

 zebras will in the course of a few days 

 follow the horses or mules, and advan- 

 tage could be taken of this to lead them 

 into the kraal. If it were, however, 

 found that they would not be led, it 

 would be necessary to have them driven 

 m by the Cape boys, assisted by swift- 

 footed natives. 



'I he animals Ijeing in this way confined 

 within the kraal, they woukf naturally 

 propagate their species. 



It is with the offspring that I would 

 propose that the experiment in the way 

 of domesticity would begin. As is well 

 known, it has been found nearly impos- 

 sible to rear a zebra foal apart from its 

 mother. 1 would not propose to sepa- 

 rate them ; they would live along with 

 and be nurtured by their mothers. 



A few months after birth the young 

 animals could be caught, and by various 

 ways become accustomed to the sight and 

 presence of man. 



I am very hopeful that in this wav a 

 number of young animals of both sexes 

 would become domesticated, and prove 

 useful for transport service, and also in 

 propagating their species. 



The second generation, if my experi- 

 ment prove in any way successful, would 

 be. even more domesticated than their 

 ])arents, and I am sure that in course of 

 time a large supply of the domesticated 

 zebra would be forthcoming for the 

 future use of transport work at Home 

 and abroad. 



