August, 1909.] 



147 



Miscellaneous Pests. 



It may generally be summed up in two 

 words —very little. 



Pestering pools, which might have 

 been cleared years ago for a few 

 shillings or pounds, are left in the heart 

 of important towns to posion all around 

 them ; quinine prophylaxis is neglected, 

 and house-screening forgotten. Few 

 efforts are made even to estimate the 

 local distribution of the disease, much 

 less to organise any serious efforts 

 against it, although it may be causing, 

 perhaps, half the sickness in the place. 



Want of funds is always an excuse 

 which is urged, and is always a false 

 excuse. Much can be doue at almost no 

 expeuse, and the men who have actually 

 carried out the work successfully in 

 Panamn, Ismailia, the Federated Malay 

 States and Italy, have expressly de- 

 clared the cheapness of it. Many a 

 town could be kept clear of malaria for 

 the amount, say, of the salary of a 

 single European official. I estimate that 

 a sixth of the medical and sanitary bud- 

 get should generally suffice to reduce a 

 disease which often causes half the sick- 

 ness. But instead of doing really useful 

 work which would benefit everyone, the 

 Authorities too often fritter away their 

 funds on trifling schemes. I maintain 

 that the health of the people has the 

 first claim on the public purse. 



Another excuse is that the possibility 

 of preventing malaria has not been 

 proved, but when one questions the 

 sceptics one generally finds they have not 

 troubled to study literature. 



I have now outlined the general course 

 of events, The immediate success 

 which we had hoped for ten years ago 

 has not been attained. 



The battle still rages along the whole 

 line ; but it is no longer a battle against 

 malaria. Malaria we know, we under- 

 stand fully, we can beat down when we 

 please. The battle which we are now 

 fighting is against human stupidity. 

 Those of us who have taken part in it— 

 not too numerous— know what it has 

 been. We have written and lectured 

 ad nauseam ; we have interviewed 

 ministers, members of Parliament and 

 Governors ; we have appealed to learned 

 societies ; we have sought the support 

 of distinguished people, and we have re- 

 ceived—sympathy. We have reasoned, 

 and been ridiculed : we have given the 

 most stringent experimental proofs, 

 and been disbelieved ; we have pro- 

 tested, aud been called charlatans. I 

 think that not one of those young men 

 who have pioneered this important 

 work in the field has ever received 

 thanks for his labours. 



LIVE STOCK. 



CATTLE BREEDING IN TRINIDAD. 



(From the Agricultural Neivs, Vol. VIII., 

 No. 183, May 1, 1909.) 



A Select Committee of the Agricultural 

 Society of Trinidad and Tobago was 

 appointed in July last to consider and 

 report upon the question of cattle breed- 

 ing in the colony, with special reference 

 to securing the full benefit of stock at 

 the Government Farm for breeding for 

 beef, milk, and draft. The report of this 

 Committee was published in the Proceed- 

 ings of the Society for February last. 



The average annual value of the cattle 

 imported into Trinidad during the past 

 five years has been =£13,000, and the num- 

 ber 7,000. It will be seen, therefore, that 

 there is abundaut reason for making 

 every possible effort to encourage cattle 

 breeding in the colony, and provided the 

 most suitable breeds are selected, the 

 industry should be made to prove 

 remunerative. 



The Committee discuss in separate sec- 

 tions the raising of cattle for beef, for 

 milking purposes, and for draft respec- 

 tively. In breediug for beef, it is stated 



that the most suitable crosses hitherto 

 obtained in Trinidad appear to have 

 been those of the Hereford aud half-bred 

 Zebu, and the Red Polled and half-bred 

 Zebu. The Red Polled has shown itself 

 to be a satisfactory butcher's beast ; it 

 requires less fattening than many other 

 breeds, and has the further advantage of 

 being a good milker. There does not 

 appear to have been much experience in 

 Trinidad with the Hereford, which is the 

 primary beef breed of cattle in England. 

 A number of Hereford bulls have been 

 imported, but these have all died shortly 

 after importation — a fact which leads to 

 the suggestion that all bulls should be 

 imported as calves, and not as full-grown 

 beasts. This breed has a great reputa- 

 tion in Jamaica, and has done well in 

 Tobago. The animals fatten readily, and 

 give beef of very good quality. 



Opinion in Trinidad is divided as to 

 the breeds of cows which are likely to be 

 most successful for dairy purposes in the 

 colony. The Committee, in their report, 

 draw attention to the well-known and 

 excellent milk-yielding qualities of the 

 Jersey and Guernsey breeds. Cows oJt' 



