340 



THE AGBICULTUBAL JOURNAL. 



bedding, have been destroyed by fire, and 

 the place thoroughly disinfected, and as 

 the remainder o'f the horses did not react 

 to the ]\Iallein test, I am hoping the dis- 

 ease has been stamped out in this stable. 



Horsesickness. — During the past 

 month this disease has been very pre- 

 valent in this District, and has been the 

 cause of a large number of deaths among 

 horses. 



NEWCASTLE.— D.V.S. HUTCHIN- 

 SON. 



Lungsichness. — The following numbers 

 of fresh licenses have been issued during 

 the month in the respective Divisions of 

 ray District, viz. : — Newcastle, 11; Dun- 

 dee, 12: Umsinga, 13; Upper Tugela, G; 

 Ladysmitli, 34. A large number of trans- 

 port oxen have been returned to their 

 owners by the military infected with 

 lungsickness, but the majority of the out- 

 breaks are due to the direct importation 

 of the disease amongst uninoculated 

 cattle. These cattle are collected in the 

 new Colonies, and in many instances are 

 driven along with the columns for weeks 

 Ijefore they enter the Colony, when by 

 this time they have become thoroughly 

 infected with the disease. Numerous 

 farms have been under license since 

 shortly after the re-occupation of this 

 district, being due to the fact that the 

 majority of owners are continuously 

 securing infected cattle from tlu; 

 Captured Stock Depot in exchange for 

 horses, whichi necessitates the continual 

 renewal of licenses. Losses amongst 

 cattle secured in this manner have been 

 very heavy, fully 36 per cent, having 

 succumbed to the disease, together with 

 the ill-results of inoculation, and num- 

 bers that have recovered will eventually 

 die from emaciation before the arrival of 

 spring. 



gcab. — The following number of fresh 

 licenses have been issued for Scab, viz.: — 

 Newcastle, 7 ; Dundee, 5 ; Upper Tugela, 

 1 ; Ladysmith, 12. Approximately 

 40,000 captured sheep have entered the 

 Colony during the month via Charles- 



town, irrespective of those belonging to 

 surrendered burghers, which amount to 

 about 46,000 ; of these over 18,000 have 

 passed through the Coldstream Dipping 

 Station, the remainder entering the Col- 

 ony under Section 20 of the Scab Law. 

 Besides the above numbers, about 80,000 

 have entered via Van Eeenen since the 

 commencement of winter. An immense 

 quantity of stock of all descriptions has 

 been brought down for winter grazing 

 belonging to surrendered burghers, and 

 the whole of the country north of the 

 Tugela Eiver suitable for winter grazing 

 is rapidly becoming over-stocked. This, 

 together with the serious grass fires oc- 

 curring all over the country, will, I am 

 afraid, be the cause of tremendous losses 

 from poverty before the arrival of spring. 



"Talking about agricultural shows," a JMew 

 Zealand porrespondent write.s, "the secretary 

 of our society has this rather puzzling para- 

 graph in the show programme : — 'Among the 

 fdher attractive features of the exhibition will 

 be a highly amusing donkey race and pig 

 race. Competition in these two contests open 

 only to members of the society.' 



A young French scientist. Dr. V. Jarre, of 

 Paris, has discovered a ciire for foot and mcaith 

 disease, which lie has communicated to the 

 French Academy of Medicine. The treatment 

 was only made public after it had been estab- 

 lished by hundreds of trials made by veteri- 

 nary surgeons and experienced agriculturists. 

 The remedy consists of a concentrated solution 

 of obronic" acid (chemically pure) at 3.3 per 

 cent., employed as a caustic. With a piece of 

 cotton wool soaked in the solution the sores 

 (if the mouth are lightly painted. The cure is 

 ;.Tpid, and animals eoimmence to browse five 

 n.inufces alfter cauterisation. The treatment 

 of the feet is ratber longer, but equally satis- 

 factory. 



An old English farmer, writing to the "Live 

 Stock Journal," gives some interesting remin- 

 iscences of an experiment in cross-breeding. 

 Twenty black polls, cows and heifers, were 

 obtained from Scotland, and crossed to Shcrt- 

 horn sires for dairy purposes. Eventually 

 evei-j' trace of the black poll di-iappenred. The 

 result of the experiment was decidedly success- 

 ful. He had an ideal daiiy cow, and a splen- 

 did grazier. There was something very erratic 

 in the action of the cross, sometimes the pro- 

 geny of the first cross was bcirnless. and some- 

 limes had horns even longer than those of the 

 sire. Not infrequently the colour of the first 

 cross was a roan or a light red, and a few 

 were blue roans. 



