CATTLE TRAEFIC. 
187 
and, like the Andalusian farmer before quoted, to “ the rich 
food of English pastures reeking with animal manure/^ 
These worthy Spaniards may be mistaken in this, and may 
set too much value on simple unstimulated pasture and food 
for cattle; but perhaps they may be right up to a certain 
point. 
%■ 
CATTLE TRAFFIC. 
A SYSTEM of traffic which allows of the free movement of 
sound animals all over the kingdom does not necessarily ex¬ 
clude foreign stock from the privileged classes, but it admits 
them only on the guarantee being given of their sanitary 
condition ; and this can only be asserted after the animals 
have undergone a period of detention, or quarantine, equiva¬ 
lent in duration to the longest time of incubation of any in¬ 
fectious disease to which they are liable. With the remem¬ 
brance of cattle plague and sheep-pox, not to speak of other 
infectious maladies of foreign stock fresh in our minds, we 
cannot conceive that this condition will be deemed harsh or 
unnecessary ; and yet it is evident that under its operation 
foreign stock would be virtually excluded from the circum¬ 
stances of their position. Q,uaranline,fexcept in the case of a 
fewvaluableanimals.,doesnot, to accept theimporters^ estimate 
ofthesystem,answerinapecuniarypointofview. Equally,from 
our point of view, it would not be judicious, using the mildest 
term, to allow imported animals, the previous history of which 
isquiteunknown,to come in contact with home stock, we being, 
at the same time, perfectly aware of the fact, that in their appa¬ 
rently healthy bodies there may lurk the germs of a disease 
which will become manifest only when it is too late to pre¬ 
vent disastrous consequences. Hence, failing to give the 
unnecessary evidence of freedom from infectious maladies, 
imported animals—which may possibly introduce disease, 
and which undeniably have, more often, perhaps, than can 
be now proved to demonstration, sown death broadcast among 
our herds and flocks—must not be admitted into a class 
composed only of those which are ascertainably free from a 
suspicion of infection. 
The question that arises out of all this is. What shall be 
done with animals which fail to furnish the required evidence 
of perfect health ? And this answer involves the considera- 
