1908 . 
<TI-IE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
826 
EVENTS OF THE WEEK. 
DOMESTIC.—Thirteen persons lost their lives through 
an _ explosion and fire which destroyed the Boston and 
Maine and Canadian Pacific grain elevator at Richford, 
Vt., Oct. 7. Eleven of those killed were at work in the 
elevator and the other two were women, a Mrs. Guard and 
a Mrs. Jellifore, who were walking along the railroad 
track beside the building when the explosion occurred. 
They were probably rendered unconscious by the concus¬ 
sion, and before anyone noticed their plight the cloud of 
flames which burst forth burned them so badly that they 
died a short time after being picked up. In addition to 
the destruction of the elevator building two flour sheds 
and eighty freight cars were burned. The total loss, which 
includes a quantity of oats consigned to the Quaker Rolled 
Oats Company of Chicago, wheat and corn, the buildings 
and rolling stock will figure up close to $500,000. It is 
presumed that the explosion was due to the ignition of 
dust in the elevator from spontaneous combustion. Alto¬ 
gether there were 21 men working in the building at the 
time and those who lost their lives were all on the first 
floor or above. . . . Fire Oct. 7 destroyed property 
to the amount of about $25,000., on which there was little 
insurance, at Roselawn. Ind. . . . Night riders have 
appeared in various sections of South Carolina. The Chero¬ 
kee ginnery, seven miles from Spartanburg, was warned 
not to gin or buy any more cotton until there is an im¬ 
provement in the market. Other ginneries in other parts 
of the county have been posted. The cotton house of 
William Wood, twenty miles from Spartanburg, was set 
on fire several nights and a number of bales of cotton de¬ 
stroyed, but whether it was the work of night riders or 
of disgruntled farm hands is not known. . . . Fear¬ 
ing an attack from “night riders” on Hickman, Ky., Gov. 
Willson Oct. 9 ordered Major Bassett at Hopkinsville to 
despatch the Columbus company to the scene of the trouble. 
Since the assassination of several members of the Walker 
(colored) family on October 3, the situation in Hickman 
County has been tense. . . . Col. J. S. Whipple, New 
York State Forest, Fish and Game Commissioner, has been 
been notified of his victory in a test case brought by 
agents of his department to compel owners of dogs to 
keep them out of the Adirondacks. Leslie E. Ghering, 
of Auburn, had a number of hounds running in the woods 
in the town of Clifton, St. Lawrence County, and while 
it could not be proven that he had permitted their use in 
the hounding of deer it was held that their presence in 
the woods was a menace to the deer and a practical vio¬ 
lation of the law against hounding. The case was prose¬ 
cuted at the St. Lawrence term of the Supreme Court 
before Justice Spencer, of Gloversvilie, and judgment given 
against Ghering. involving a fine of $200. More interesting 
perhaps was the recent conviction of D. F. Busch, of 
New York, a steel and iron merchant, with Summer home 
at Glen Cove, L. I., who waB fined $100 for having in his 
possession in the closed season, a brace of grouse. Mr, 
Busch had received several pairs of the birds from a friend 
in Wales, who had sent them over on the Cedric, the 
latter part of September. He was an innocent receiver, 
not knowing that the possession of the birds was making 
him a violator of the law, but this did not excuse him 
in the eyes of the judge, and he had to suffer the penalty. 
Mr. Busch offered to send the birds back to Wales, but 
this would have established a precedent, which was not 
permitted. . . . Three policemen on duty on the Will¬ 
iamsburg Bridge, over the East River, New York, had a 
desperate fight with a temporarily insane Russian armed 
with a razor on the top of the Brooklyn tower, 335 feet 
above the river, Oct. 11. In the struggle of the man to 
leap from the structure he nearly dragged the policemen 
over the brink. The Russian said later that he was Joseph 
Kratz, a tailor, 35 years old, lived at 17 Prospect street, 
Brooklyn, and wanted to kill himself, because he had an 
aged mother who was starving because he couldn’t get any 
work. . . . Following other severe penalties imposed 
under the recently enacted law to protect game birds 
In Tennessee, R. F. McMurty, of Sumner County, has been 
fined $2,500 for trying to dispose by sale of fifty quail. 
The birds were trapped, according to Game Warden King, 
who made the arrest, and killed by blows on the head. 
Many young quail were among the number. McMurty got 
the extreme penalty of the law. 
CROP PROSPECTS. 
This has been a hard season for Central Maine. We 
have had very little rain since the first of May. A light 
crop of hay, apples and potatoes in the central part of 
the State, but a banner crop of potatoes in Aroostook 
County. w. n. s. 
Waterville, Me. 
Wheat seeding is dragged along on account of the 
dry weather; very few fields up in good shape, and a dark 
show unless it is a late Fall. Apples in this neighborhood 
the wormiest in years; the best apples are on an orchard 
that was not sprayed at all, but otherwise well cared for. 
The first nine crates of Kings I picked did not have a 
sound apple. Out of 50 crates I sold 25 as No. 2. Bald¬ 
win almost as bad; out of 31 crates of Kieffer pears I 
got 13 No. 1. The experts claim the damage was done 
in August. I sprayed lime and sulphur first and then 
Bordeaux twice. I have three acres of Alfalfa, the first 
I ever tried, sowed July 27, looking fine, that The 
R. N.-Y. is to blame for. w. j. w. 
Geneva, N. Y. 
The apple crop is not more than half what we expected, 
due to wet weather last Spring causing scab on fruit and 
foliage, and plant lice making so many dwarfed ; then so 
severe a drought since the middle of August causing them 
to quit growing. Many trees have dried up and some 
apples feel withered. u. t. cox. 
Ohio. 
As I read of frosts, floods, droughts and cyclones in 
other parts of the country, I wish to say a w r ord in regard 
to what is locally known as the Grand Traverse region. 
We picked yesterday (October 5) ripe watermelons, Monte 
Christo and Hoodoo muskmelons from vines that were as 
green as in midsummer; will mail you soon a sample of 
corn grown this Summer, which will prove that we can 
produce something besides snowballs and pine stumps. 
Charlevoix, Mich. e. w. c. 
Practically all of the crops in Franklin County are now 
harvested. The potato crop is very uneven; some growers 
report a fair yield, while in other fields they are almost 
a failure. A few cars have been shipped from Bangor 
and Brushton at 60 cents per bushel. The grain crop, 
such as rye, oats, barley and corn, were at least 60 per 
cent better than last season. Hops are fair, and were free 
from vermin. A few sales have been reported in Malone 
from 10 to 12% cents, but in small lots. Apples are of 
a good quality, and the yield was big in the northern part 
of the county. The early ones are all shipped. Our hay 
crop was light, but almost all farmers are well supplied 
with fodder. Pork is bringing $8.50 per hundred on the 
hoof, and $10 dressed, and in good demand. Poultry is 
selling at 14 cents' alive, and lots of buyers; eggs are in 
good demand. Garden truck is fair in most localities. 
Brushton, N. Y. a. n. h. 
THE BANG METHOD FOR THE ERADICA¬ 
TION OF BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS. 
At a meeting of the New York State Veterinary College 
in Ithaca, N. Y., October 9, Prof. Bang, of Copenhagen, 
Denmark, delivered a very capable address on the “Eradi¬ 
cation of Tuberculosis in Denmark.” Prof. Bang is among 
the best authorities on the subject, has made a scientific 
and practical study of the disease and its eradication for 
many years, and was the originator of the “Bang method” 
of treatment. Prof. Bang said in substance, that the most 
essential point to keep in mind is that tuberculosis is abso¬ 
lutely contagious and is spread only by contagion. The 
old theory that tuberculosis is hereditary is wrong. The 
theory that the germs of the disease are everywhere is 
also wrong, for many whole herds are free from tuber¬ 
culosis, although in a district where the disease is very 
common. The susceptibility of cattle to the disease de¬ 
pends on the number of tubercle bacilli present, and also 
on the disposition of the cattle, some cows being practically 
immune to the disease, while others readily contract it. 
There are two general ways in which cattle can be in¬ 
fected ; by living together with diseased animals, and 
through milk. Farmers can have healthy cows and af¬ 
fected calves. On one farm in Denmark all the cows and 
calves were free from the disease, but all the two-year-old 
heifers were diseased. This was traced to the milk being 
contaminated, on which the animals were fed as calves. 
When milk is sent to the creamery or cheese factory, 
where the skim-milk or whey is returned to the patrons, 
there is great danger of contagion. If only one herd is 
affected by tuberculosis all the skim-milk or whey is con¬ 
taminated, and thus the disease is widely spread, not only 
to calves but. to swine, poultry, and to other animals that 
are fed on the milk. To prevent the spread of the disease 
in this way is one of the grave questions in this country 
to-day. In Denmark all skim-milk and whey is required 
by law to be heated before being returned to patrons. 
When the udder is affected the milk contains immense 
numbers of the bacilli. For a month or more, however, 
the milk looks normal, but after a time it becomes more 
watery or flocky, and the production is less. In Denmark 
all cattle affected by tuberculosis of the udder, as deter¬ 
mined by examination of the milk, are killed and paid for 
by the government. Milk will not generally contain tubercle 
bacilli unless the udder is affected. Often the milk be¬ 
comes contaminated after milking, from the breath, feces 
or urine of diseased cows. Cleanliness of the stables and 
animals is therefore very important. 
Bovine tuberculosis is readily transmissible to swine, 
horses, poultry, goats, and even human beings, although 
some claim that it is not transmissible to human beings. 
There is a great difference, however, in the susceptibility 
of children and adults, the former readily contracting the 
disease. In fact, the young of all animals become infected 
much more readily than the mature animals. 
THE BANG METHOD.—The principles on which this 
method is founded are the tuberculin test and isolation. 
The cows should all be tested with tuberculin and the 
healthy animals placed in a barn entirely separated from 
that in which the diseased ones are kept. All cows af¬ 
fected by the disease in the udder should be killed to 
prevent the spread of it through the milk. The calves 
from those cows that are well enough to keep may be 
raised. As the disease is not hereditary, the calves are 
not usually affected at birth, but attain the disease from 
outside sources. All the calves should be taken from 
the diseased cows immediately at birth, and placed in the 
quarters for the healthy animals. They should be fed only 
on milk that has been heated. As these calves become ma¬ 
ture the proportion of healthy animals becomes greater 
and the diseased ones can be disposed of under suitable 
supervision. 
The supposedly healthy animals should be tested about 
twice a year by the tuberculin test, in order that any 
which have become infected could be eliminated in the 
early stages. No animals should be introduced to the 
healthy herd from outside sources without having them 
tested and without being reasonably certain that they are 
healthy. The quarters should be kept clean, well venti¬ 
lated and light, for filth and darkness are very favorable 
to the development of all contagious diseases. 
This method has been used in Denmark and other Euro¬ 
pean countries very successfully, the herds gradually be¬ 
coming free from disease without the necessity of killing 
off all affected animals immediately. The opposition to 
the tuberculin test has been very great, because many cows 
that were apparently healthy and producing well were 
often sacrificed because they reacted under the test. The 
Bang method, however, allows the farmer to keep such 
cattle, under proper conditions. In reply to direct ques¬ 
tions, Prof. Bang answered in substance as follows: 
“Do you believe that tuberculin will develop tuberculosis 
or any bad effects in healthy cows?” 
“No. Absolutely impossible.” 
“Will tuberculin aggravate the disease in affected cows?” 
“The immediate effects are fever, smaller quantities of 
milk and sometimes diarrhoea, but there are no lasting 
effects.” 
“In an incipient case will the test aggravate or make 
worse the disease?” 
“I have thought that the disease was aggravated, but 
now believe that the aggravation was simply accidental, 
and due to other causes.” 
“Can the Bang method be carried out on physical exam¬ 
ination alone?” 
“I do not believe so. The disease must be highly devel¬ 
oped in order to detect it by a physical examination. The 
new herd, at least, should be tested with tuberculin.” 
“How often should the tuberculin test be used?” 
“At least twice a year is best.” 
“Is the tuberculin test reliable?” 
“Not absolutely ; but it is very reliable." 
“What would you do with reacting cows?” 
“Keep them as long as apparently well and healthy and 
the milk is good, but kee’p them under supervision and 
away from healthy cows. c. f. b. 
The thirteenth annual meeting of the American Associa¬ 
tion of Farmers’ Institute Workers will be held at Wash¬ 
ington, D. C., November 16-17. There will be an ex¬ 
tended discussion of farm institute problems. The officers 
of the Association are: President, Tait Butler, Raleigh, 
N. C.; vice-president, J. L. Ellsworth, Boston, Mass.; sec¬ 
retary-treasurer, John Hamilton, Washington, D. C. 
Commissioner of Agriculture Pearson states that the 
New York farmers’ institute will begin about December 1. 
The number of days of institute work allotted to the 
various counties is stated as follows : Albany five, Allegany 
four, Broome four, Cattaraugus five, Cayuga five, Chau¬ 
tauqua twelve, Chemung five, Chenango eight, Clinton four, 
Columbia five, Cortland four, Delaware eight, Dutchess 
seven, Erie seven, Essex five, Franklin six, Fulton three, 
Genesee six, Greene four, Herkimer five, Jefferson nine, 
Lewis seven, Livingston six, Madison eight, Monroe ten, 
Montgomery five, Nassau two, Niagara five, Oneida ten, Onon¬ 
daga five, Ontario eight, Orange nine, Orleans six, Oswego 
thirteen, Otsego nine, Putnam three, Rensselaer four, Rock¬ 
land two, St. Lawrence thirteen, Saratoga five, Schenectady 
two, Schoharie five, Schuyler four, Seneca four, Steuben thir¬ 
teen, Suffolk five, Sullivan four, Tioga five, Tompkins five, 
Ulster six, Washington six, Wayne eight, Westchester 
three, Wyoming five, Yates four; total, 330. Conferences 
to plan for institutes next Winter have now been held in 
about 20 counties. The Commissioner of Agriculture in¬ 
vites the masters of the Granges in the counties, presi¬ 
dents of the local agricultural societies, and the corre¬ 
spondents of the institutes held last year, to meet at some 
central point, and discuss with a representative of the 
Agricultural Department, who is familiar with the insti¬ 
tute work, all questions having to do with the location of 
the institutes, character of the subjects to be covered, local 
speakers, etc. 
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