190 
M. H. REYNOLDS. 
situation during 1897, 1898 and 1899. The number of town¬ 
ships and financial losses for 1898 and 1899 should probably be 
somewhat larger. Please bear in mind that this work did not 
begin until 1897 and that 43 counties were then infected. It is 
not difficult to check a small outbreak of hog cholera and com¬ 
pletely eradicate the disease, but 43 infected counties to deal 
with in a state as large as Minnesota is a very different propo¬ 
sition. 
Year. Counties infected. Townships infected. Loss. 
1896 . 43 — $1,000,000 
1897 . 41 254 487,500 
1898 . 32 93 325,000 
1899 . 32 75 252,000 
I wish to explain again that this table is not presented as 
being absolutely accurate, but it is as accurate as existing infor¬ 
mation allows. The relative proportion of losses and townships, 
infected is probably very nearly correct. Other natural condi¬ 
tions have had something- to do with this decrease in the in- 
fected area and financial losses. It is difficult to estimate just 
what proportion should be credited to the work of the State 
Board and what to natural conditions, but it is evident that 
these natural conditions do not alone account for the improved 
situation. The following is submitted as showing the needs of 
general information concerning hog cholera, and the necessity 
of vigorous work. Hog cholera appeared in a certain township 
of Stearns county during the early summer. The township 
chairman called on the owner soon afterwards and quarantined 
the hogs and pens, giving instructions as to what should be 
done. The chairman considered this owner a good citizen and 
did not watch things as closelv as he would otherwise have done. 
We have since learned that this farmer lost quite a lot of hogs. 
They were left unburied, although the law expressly orders to 
the contrary. The outbreak in this township has since been 
around this man’s farm in all directions, and has apparently 
been spread largely by dogs. 
There are two adjoining townships in one of our most south¬ 
ern counties where hog cholera appeared last June. The chair- 
