FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS. 
645 
The official report respecting cattle diseases in Russia 
during 1877 gives an idea of the extent of the malady in 
that year. The statistics show that 212,768 head of cattle 
and 23,630 horses died of the cattle disease or Siberian plague 
in the forty governments of Russia during last twelve 
months. 
Facts and Observations. 
Sheep Scab. —A cattle dealer, John Fitzgerald, has been 
fined £5 and costs for exposing sheep affected with scab in 
the Bristol market. 
The Great Eastern” and American Importations. 
—It is stated that the steamer “ Great Eastern/' which has 
long been lying at Milford Haven, is to be fitted up with 
new boilers and machinery at a cost of £100,000, as a cattle 
ship. It is estimated that she can carry 2200 head of cattle and 
36,000 sheep. She is to trade between London and Texas. 
Composition of Mare’s Milk. By M. Schrodt 
( Landw. Versucks-Stat. 23, 311—316).—The author analysed 
the milk of a five years old mare, ten weeks after foaling, with 
the following results: 
Dry substance . . 8*85 per cent. 
Ash.0"37 ,, 
Fat.. 1*27 „ 
Albuminoids . . . 1*50 ,, 
Milk sugar . . . 5*75 „ 
The fresh milk was perfectly neutral.— Journal of the Chemieal 
Society. 
Prussian Live-stock Statistics. —The Mark Lane Ex¬ 
press, quoting these statistics, says it appears that during the 
official year 1877-78, 70 horses, 1903 beasts, 1327 sheep, 
and 202 swfine died of anthrax; 18,589 beasts, 2435 sheep, 
and 2047 swine of foot-and-mouth disease; 1980 beasts of 
lung disease; 2848 horses of glanders ; 3888 sheep of sheep- 
pox; and 1309 sheep of rot. Within the same period 571 
dogs, 6 horses, 132 beasts, 38 sheep, and 16 swine were put 
under control as suspected of rabies ; 137 dogs were killed as 
unowned and 1089 as rabid. 
Singular Method of Stimulating the Vegetation 
of Seeds which Germinate with Difficulty.— Weak 
solutions of caustic potassa or soda are exceedingly effica¬ 
cious, according to Boettger. If a handful of coffee-beans 
are agitated for a few hours with a weak solution of potash- 
lye germination begins after two or three hours.— Chemical 
News. 
