NEWS AND ITEMS. 
591 
of Agriculture is, under authority of Congress, investigating 
this subject, with the idea of securing a national law for its pre¬ 
vention. Special Agent Wedderbnrn has sent out a circular letter ' 
to obtain facts and suggestions from various reliable sources to 
formulate a report to Congress. 
Prof. James I^aw, of Cornell University, and Dr. T. A. 
Geddes, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, were recently secured 
by the governing authorities of the Kansas Agricultural College 
to aid in determining the character and extent of disease in the 
college herd of pure-bred cattle. It is reported that a large per 
cent, of the herd was found to be affected with tuberculosis. 
The Annuae Announcement of the Ontario Veterinary 
College for session 1897-98 has just been issued, and announces 
that it has recently been affiliated with the University of To¬ 
ronto, and that its prospects for a good attendance of students 
at the approaching session are favorable. The session commenced 
on Wednesday, October 13th, with about one hundred students. 
A Rise in the Price of Beef is reported from the 
Pacific Coast, and in some parts of Texas butchers are with 
difficulty obtaining supplies for their trade at a half-dollar ad¬ 
vance, as all sorts of cattle are being held in expectation of a 
further rise in prices. The tendency is decidedly upward as no 
doubt exists, as to the shortage in supplies.— {Breeder’s Gazette. 
Oct. 6 .) 
Prof. H. D. Hanson, of New York City, who has been 
suffering from a nervous trouble for the past six months, having 
been ordered to cease all work by his physician, has returned to 
his duties after an absence of several months in the mountains. 
We are very glad to announce, on the authority of the patient, 
that although not entirely well, he is so much improved that 
his ultimate return to perfect health is but a question of time. 
Progress of the Bicycle. —Cycle racing is degenerating. 
Many may choose to dispute that point, but the game is getting 
less and less interesting and has far more of a hippodrome air 
about the events. This is caused, most likely, by the influence 
of money-getting that pervades every foot of the track around 
which the riders scurry, not for sport, not for the good of athlet¬ 
ics, but for the purse of gold or greenbacks that always is in 
front of them and not always figuratively either. The absence 
of the club enthusiasm is noticeable at recent tournaments. 
Such a condition betokens a rapid finish to the racing game of 
cycling .—{Spirit of the Times.') 
