m 
ifmmxL  m  mnnontmut!  jm  oomos  oikbrnsn. 
JtoVelnbet  l5f  1864 
The  report  begics  with  the  pigs.  Swine  fever  has  again  been 
most  prevalent.  In  West  Riding  of  Yorks  there  have  been 
positively  no  less  than  658  ostbreaks,  and  3638  pigs  have  been 
slaughtered,  either  as  actually  or  probably  diseased.  In  Great 
Britain  altogether  the  number  of  outbreaks  has  been  6305, 
•  Cumberland  and  Westmoreland  alone  being  free. 
These  figures  appear  tremendons,  but  possibly  they  do  not 
really  exceed  the  record  of  other  years.  There  is  such  a  vigilant 
watch  kept  now,  and  every  case  is  noted.  People  seem  to  be  more 
awake  to  the  serionsness  of  the  complaint,  and  more  ready  to  aid 
the  authorities  in  dealing  with  it.  There  is  proof  of  this  in  the  fact 
that  this  year  the  Board  of  Agricnlture  has  received  for  examina¬ 
tion  16,434  sets  of  viscera,  being  4380  more  than  they  dealt  with 
in  1894. 
That  swine  fever  is  a  contagions  and  infections  eruptive  fever  all 
admit ;  but,  like  many  other  diseases,  there  is  a  time  when  the 
symptoms  are  so  slightly  marked  as  to  escape  obseivaiion  on  the 
part  of  the  owner  or  his  servant,  and  thus  the  disease  may  spread 
before  anyone  supposes  mischief  is  afoot. 
The  special  committee  are  of  the  opinion  that  there  is  a  chronic 
form  of  the  disease  that  shows  itself  in  the  condition  of  the  pigs,  or 
rather  in  their  non-condition  —  i.e.,  they  never  seem  to  thrive 
or  “mend,”  as  we  say.  These  pigs,  however,  are  quite  capable  of 
giving  the  disease  to  others  in  the  moat  virulent  form. 
It  is  an  undoubted  fact  that  of  all  classes  of  domestic  animals 
pigs  are  oftenest  the  worst  fed,  worst  housed,  and  worvt  treated 
generally.  So  many  will  keep  pigs,  whatever  their  accommodation 
may  be,  and  trust  to  being  able  to  beg  the  necessary  bedding  of 
richer  neighbours.  The  less  said  about  the  bedding  the  better, 
and  the  less  about  the  cold,  cheerless,  miserable  sty  where  these 
wretched  creatures  drag  out  their  weary  lives.  It  does  not  fall  to 
the  lot  of  all  pigs  to  live  on  barleymeal  and  potatoes.  Oh,  no  ; 
and  possibly  there  would  not  be  much  of  a  market  for  the  bacon 
and  ham  did  consumers  only  know  what  the  food  had  been.  As 
it  is  generally  the  poor  wandering  cur  that  first  exhibits  signs  of 
rabies,  so  it  is  these  poor  neglected  pigs  that  set  up  this  fell 
disease  in  any  neighbourhood,  and  as  the  fever  can  be  conveyed 
by  the  agency  of  persons,  animals,  and  substances,  wo  need  not 
wonder  at  the  tremendous  number  of  cases. 
There  is  good  news  concerning  pleuro-pneumonia  —  only 
one  centre  was  detected  last  year  in  Great  Britain.  This 
was  in  the  first  instance  an  imported  disease,  and  during 
the  fifty  years  it  has  been  known  here  has  caused  the  loss  of 
250,000  head  of  stock.  All  imported  stock  is  submitted  to  close 
examination,  and  iu  consequence  of  the  sharp  look  out  twenty-six 
cases  were  reported  and  dealt  with  at  the  port  of  lauding. 
Five  cases  were  from  the  States,  two  from  Canada,  one  from 
Buenos  Ayres,  and  eighteen  from  Australia.  We  gave  it  to 
Australia  in  1858,  and  she  now  returns  it  “  with  thanks.”  Happily 
foot  and  mouth  disease  has  been  this  last  year  absent  j  may  it  long 
remain  so,  we  have  seen,  alas  !  too  much  of  its  ravages  in  bygone 
days. 
Anthrax  still  hangs  about,  neither  gaining  nor  losing  ground. 
Once  eetablished,  it  seems  difficult  to  get  rid  of.  We  personally 
know  one  village  in  Fast  Riding,  Yorka,  where  this  disease  has 
made  its  appearance  six  times  daring  1894-5,  and  all  that  human 
forethought  and  skill  could  do  has  been  done.  We  cannot 
remember  the  records  before  1894,  but  we  know  of  another  farm 
in  the  same  hamlet  where  this  disease  only  slnmbered  to  wake 
again  at  constantly  recurring  periods. 
As  with  regard  to  glanders,  this  disease  has  received  a  whole- 
■ome  check.  The  Mallein  test,  the  invention  of  a  Russian  Y.8., 
named  Raining,  has  been  proved  to  be  of  the  utmost  value  both 
here  and  on  the  Continent  as  showing  the  existence  or  non-existence 
of  glanders,  thns  saving  many  a  valuable  animal,  and  again  con-  ! 
demning  with  all  certainty  an  infected  one. 
e  said  enough  in  a  late  paper  abont  the  chief  sheep  disorder 
«-6cab,  bat,  alas  I  not  a  word  too  mnoh  if  we  may  judge  from  the 
reports  before  na.  In  eighty-eight  counties  has  this  disease  existed 
at  one  and  the  same  time.  Only  in  1879  were  the  losses  greater 
from  this  one  scourge,  and  yet  this  is  quite  an  ailment  which  might, 
be  under  control.  Wo  do  not  say  easily  curable,  as  care  and  vigilance 
must  both  be  exercised,  but  there  is  no  reason  at  all  that  this  state 
of  things  should  exist  another  three  months,  especially  now  as  we 
slaughter  States  aud  Canadian  sheep  at  the  ports. 
The  report  on  rabies  is  not  cheering  ;  last  year  were  found 
672  dogs,  thirty-seven  sheep,  eight  sw’ne,  seven  cattle,  and  three 
horses,  all  suffering  from  hydrophobia — by  far  the  largest  number 
since  the  passing  of  the  Rabies  Order  of  1886. 
We  do  not  want  to  be  alarmists,  but  we  wonder  if  any  or  how 
many  hides  may  be  now  imported  from  South  Africa.  Few  of 
this  generation  can  remember  the  terror  and  consternation  caused 
by  the  rinderpest  visitation  in  the  sixties.  We  proved  then  what 
fearful  infection  could  be  so  easily  conveyed,  and  we-  do  trust  that 
those  in  authority  will  do  their  utmost  to  prevent  any  risk  to  our 
English  stock  from  their  poor  dying  brethren  in  that  far  off 
country. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
Impiovement  in  the  weather,  with  consequently  good  progresa  msde 
towards  completion  of  arrears  of  work,  is  noted  from  many  parts  of  the 
country,  but  alas  I  in  others  rain  has  again  fallen,  and  Wheat  drilling 
has  to  be  abandoned  altogether.  It  still  may  be  ploughed  in,  however, 
that  is  if  ploughing  is  possible.  It  shonld  be  sown  broadcast  on  the 
surface  and  ploughed  at  once  not  more  than  3  inches  deep,  and  the 
furrow  shonld  be  tamed  ever  as  flat  as  possible.  Early  sown  Wheat  is 
coming  up  very  slowly  and  requires  a  great  deal  of  tenting. 
Potato  lifting  having  been  carried  on  under  such  sticky  conditions, 
many  were  left  in  the  ground  and  have  turned  up  on  the  surface  since 
either  harrowed  up  or  washed  bare  by  rain  ;  it  is  anfortucate  that  many 
of  these  have  been  exposed  to  the  recent  frosts,  and  are  spoilt  except  for 
pfg-feeding  purposes.  One  crop  being  now  stored  we  are  prep^uing  for 
the  growth  of  another.  The  ley  intended  for  Potatoes  next  year 
mast  be  ploughed  before  the  new  year,  and  if  manure  is.  in  hand  for  it, 
we  shall  apply  it  before  ploughing.  There  may  be  a  little  loss  of 
ammonia  daring  the  winter,  bnt  the  gain  in  not  having  the  manure  to 
cart  on  at  planting  time  will  be  very  great,  besides  which  we  are  of 
opinion  that  the  thoroughly  decayed  manure  produces  a  better  quality 
of  Potato. 
If  kainit  is  intended  to  be  used  for  next  year's  crop  it  shonld  be  put 
on  now  and  ploughed  in  ;  in  fact,  whatever  crop  kainit  is  applied  for  it 
should  always  be  used  several  months  before  rapid  growth  commences. 
The  use  of  kainit  is  becoming  more  necessary  every  year  as  the  selling 
off  the  farm  of  bay,  straw,  and  roots  becomes  more  general. 
Where  straw  is  very  scarce,  bracken  may  be  used  in  its  place  for 
pieing  Mangolds  ;  it  will  tnrn  frost  well  with  plenty  of  soil  over  it,  bat 
will  nob  keep  the  roots  so  dry  as  straw. 
Lambs  shonld  be  dipped  at  once,  it  dipping  is  thought  desirable  before 
winter.  The  rams  will  now  be  leaving  the  ewes,  and  salving  the  latter 
with  mercHiial  ointment  before  Christmas  will  keep  their  skins  clean 
and  greatly  benefit  the  wool.  For  ewes  we  prefer  salving  to  dipping,  as 
it  knocks  them  about  less.  For  the  young  sheep  salve  Is  dangerous, 
whereas  the  bath  is  both  safe  and  efficacious,  if  the  weather  be 
favourable. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSKEVATIONS. 
Oaudbn  Squabs,  Loudou. 
Lat.  81“ M'AO"  N. ;  Lon?.  0®  8/ 0"  W.:  Altitude  111  feet. 
Datb. 
9  A.1I 
IB  THU  Day. 
1 
189S. 
November. 
1  Barometer 
at  33°, and 
1  Sea  LeveL 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
Ifoot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Badlation 
Temperature 
Bry, 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Bun. 
On 
Grass. 
• 
Inohs. 
leg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
InohA 
Sunday  8 
29-fi39 
39-2 
38-£ 
N.W. 
40-a 
46-7 
33-3 
71-4 
30-1 
0-016 
Monday  ..  9 
30-246 
.'56-7 
35-6 
N. 
40-1 
46-9 
34-9 
76-6 
28-3 
Tneeday  ..  10 
30-435 
33-1 
32*3 
NW. 
39-9 
45-4 
29-9 
64-1 
24-9 
Wednesday  ll 
30-249 
41-9 
39-8 
W. 
39-1 
49-0 
53*7 
65-0 
37  9 
Thursday..  12 
30-084 
44-7 
43  1 
w. 
40-8 
50-8 
39-4 
61-9 
331 
Friday  ..  13 
39-936 
41-1 
40-8 
w. 
40'8 
44-3 
31-6 
61-4 
35-2 
0-198 
Saturday  ..14 
29  b06 
41-0 
40-9 
N.W. 
41-3 
47-4 
38-7 
61-2 
82-9 
0-207 
40-066 
39-7 
386 
40-3 
47-7 
34-5 
63-1 
28-9 
0-481 
RBMABES. 
8  th.— Gale  and  rain  till  9  a.h  ;  high  wind  and  ocoas'onal  sun  daring  the  day ;  clear  night, 
9th.-  Bright  sun  from  snnrise  to  innset. 
10th.— Sonny  almost  throughout  but  a  little  hazy.  11th— Overcast  but  fair. 
ISth.- Bail  with  alight  fog  in  morning ;  fine  afternoon,  with  occasional  faint  sunshine. 
IStb. — Vog  rather  dense  at  times  till  10.30  AM. ;  occasional  gleams  of  son  aftc:-'. 
14th,— Bain  from. 1  a.u.  to  4  A.U.  ;  damp  fog  all  morning,  slight  after  10  AM;  rain 
from  4  P.M.  to  11P.U. 
Another  cold  week,  the  temperature  being  nearly  identical  with  that  of  the  previous 
wetk.-^.  J.  eYMOKS. 
