propriated for the purpose is limited, and importers inconsiderately bring their cattle into port with little or no notice of approach. During the present season two or three times as many cattle have been imported as could have been reasonably expected from the importations of former seasons. It is evident that this system cannot be administered by making exceptions to the general rules, unless such exceptions are imperatively demanded. By Department circular of July 30, 1883, it is provided that "where there are more cattle for quarantine than the regular Government stations can accommodate, special arrangements for quarantine outside of the stations may be made by the collector of the port when they arrive, upon consultation with the Cattle Commission or the superintendent in charge." You will observe that the responsibility in this matter rests upon the collector of the port in whose immediate custody the quarantine stations and the cattle therein are placed. While it is desired that the collector shall be in constant communication with the Cattle Commission, and that he should act in harmony with their views, they will not assume to make orders with regard to the cattle; and this Department will issue no instructions respecting the quarantining of cattle, or for their transfer from one station to another or to any other place, except through the collector of the port. Where stations are crowded, the Department will rely upon the collectors at the respective ports to make such special arrangements for quarantining cattle outside of the stations as the circumstances of each case shall seem to require, holding itself always ready to advice the collectors should they request advice upon the subject. A copy of this letter will be transmitted to Mr. Koch, and such other persons as have made or shall hereafter make application for quarantine accommodations for their cattle outside the regular stations. Very respectfully, COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, New York, N. Y. H. F. FRENCH, Acting Secretary. [Circular.-Importation of neat cattle.] TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., June 18, 1884. The following conditions for the observance of importers and owners of neat cattle and others are prescribed, in addition to those now in force under Department's circular of July 30, 1883, No. 104, to take effect August 1, 1884: Neat cattle arriving in the United States from any part of the world, except North and South America, can be landed only at such ports on the Atlantic seaboard as are at the time provided with cattle quarantine stations under the control of Treasury officers. Any person contemplating the importation of such cattle must first obtain a permit from the Treasury Department, stating the number and kind of animals to be imported, the port at which said cattle are to be landed and quarantined, and the approximate date of their arrival; and this permit shall secure the reception of the number and kind of animals specified therein at the port and quarantine station named, at the date prescribed for their arrival, or at any time during three weeks immediately following, after which the permit shall be void. Such permit shall in no case be available at any port other than the one mentioned therein. Permits will be issued to quarantine at such ports as the importer may elect, so far as facilities exist at such port, but in no case will permits for importation at any port be granted in excess of the accommodations of the Government quarantine station at such port. Every importer shall, on the day of shipment from a foreign port, telegraph to the Secretary of the Treasury the number of cattle shipped, the vessel upon which they are shipped, and the port at which they are to be landed. United States consuls at foreign ports are hereby notified to give clearance papers or certificates for importations of cattle only upon presentation of permits as above provided, with dates of probable arrival and destination corresponding with the said permits, and in no case for a number in excess of that mentioned therein. The ports now provided with quarantine stations under the control of the Treasury Department, and at which cattle may be landed, subject to the foregoing conditions, are Portland, Boston, New York, and Baltimore. CHAS. J. FOLGER, Secretary. [Circular.-Quarantine of imported neat cattle.] TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., July 25, 1884. To collectors and other officers of the customs: The act approved July 7, 1884, making appropriations for sundry civil expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, contains the following pro vision: "To establish and maintain quarantine stations, and provide proper shelter for and care of neat cattle imported at such ports as may be deemed necessary, $25,000, to be expended by the Commissioner of Agriculture under the general supervision of the Secretary of the Treasury." The law transfers to the Department of Agriculture the expenditure of said appropriation, subject to the general supervision of this Department, and necessarily the making of rules and regulations governing the quarantine of imported neat cattle. After, therefore, the proper permit has been issued, the cattle will be placed in charge of an officer of the Department of Agriculture for quarantine, who will act in concert with customs officers. The cattle will be released from quarantine only on a permit issued under authority of the Agricultural Department. All correspondence on the part of customs officers in connection with such quarantine will hereafter be had with the Agricultural Department. CHAS. E. COON, [Circular.-Importation of neat cattle.] DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Washington, D. C., August 25, 1884. To collectors of customs and others: The following conditions for the observance of importers and owners of neat cattle and others are prescribed by the Department of Agriculture, to which the quarantine system has been transferred by the Secretary of the Treasury with instructions that "hereafter all regulations governing such quarantine will be issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture." Neat-cattle arriving in the United States from any part of the world, except North and South America, can be landed only at such ports on the Atlantic seaboard as are at that time provided with cattle quarantine accommodations under the control of officers of the Department of Agriculture. Any person contemplating the importation of such cattle must first obtain from the Department of Agriculture at Washington two permits, one stating the number and kind of animals to be imported, the port, and probable date, of shipment, which will entitle them to clearance papers on presentation to American consul at said port of shipment; the other stating the port at which said cattle are to be landed and quarantined, and the approximate date of their arrival, and this will assure the reception of the number and kind specified therein at the port and quarantine station named, at the date prescribed fo. their arrival, or at any time during three weeks immediately following, after which the permit will be void These shall in no case be available at any ports other than the ones mentioned therein. Permits must be in the name of the owner of, or agent for, any one lot of cattle. When more persons than one own a lot of cattle for which permits have been issued, a release from quarantine will be given to each owner for the number and kind he may own, and this release will be a certificate of fulfillment of quarantine regulations. Permits will be issued to quarantine at such ports as the importer may elect, so far as facilities exist at such port, but in no case will permits for importation at any port be granted in excess of the accommodations of the Government quarantine at such port. Every importer shall, on the day of the shipment from a foreign port, telegraph to the Commissioner of Agriculture the number of cattle shipped, the vessel on which they are shipped, and the port at which they are to be landed. United States consuls at foreign ports are hereby notified to give clearance papers or certificates for importation of cattle only upon presentation of permits as above provided, with dates of probable arrival and destination, corresponding with said permits, and in no case for a number in excess of that mentioned therein. The ports now provided with quarantine stations under control of the Treasury Department, and at which cattle may be landed subject to the foregoing conditions, are Portland, Boston, New York, Baltimore, and such additional ports as may be provided with quarantine accommodations approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture and supervised by the proper officers. Approved. GEO. B. LORING, Commissioner of Agriculture. CHAS. E. COON, Acting Secretary of the Treasury. [Order abolishing and establishing neat cattle quarantine stations.] DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES CATTLE QUARANTINE, Washington, D C., July 1, 1885. To whom it may concern: The neat cattle quarantine stations at Portland, Me., Coopersburg and Chester, Pa., and New Orleans, La., are hereby abolished. A station has this day been established at San Francisco, Cal., for the proper quarantining of all cattle imported by residents of the Pacific coast. NORMAN J. COLMAN, [Order for removal of Waltham neat cattle quarantine station.] DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, UNITED STATES CATTLE QUARANTINE, To whom it may concern : Washington, D. C., October 1, 1885. The neat cattle quarantine station heretofore existing at Waltham, Mass., has this day been ordered removed to Littleton, Mass., on the Fitchburg Railroad, and will hereafter be known as the Littleton Neat Cattle Quarantine Station. NORMAN J. COLMAN, ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM CORRESPONDENTS. EARLY LEGISLATION FOR THE PREVENTION OF SOUTHERN CATTLE FEVER. Mr. B. F. Grady, of Albertson, Duplin County, North Carolina, writing under date of May 30 last, says: In report on Contagious diseases of swine and other domestic animals, 1880," p. 98, it is hoped that historical documents containing accounts, &c., may be hunted up. The "Laws of the State of North Carolina, by Potter, Taylor & Yancey," 2 volumes, published in 1821, quotes an act of the legislature of 1766, chapter 81, as follows: To prevent the inhabitants of South Carolina from driving cattle to range and feed in this province," &c. Section 4 says: "Whereas much loss or damage has often ensued to the inhabitants of this province from distempered cattle being drove through the same: For remedy whereof, &c., no person or persons whosoever shall drive any cattle into this province, or from any county to another without having a certificate, &c., that the cattle were sound, &c.; within 5 miles of the place whence they came." In 1795, chapter 439: "Whereas it is found by experience that such certificate (as required in the previous act) is insufficient: For remedy, &c., no person whoever shall hereafter drive any cattle into North Carolina between April 1 and November 1, from either South Carolina or Georgia." "SEC. 2. No person shall hereafter drive any cattle from those parts of this State where the soil is sandy, and the natural product or growth of timber is the long-leafed pine, into or through any of the highland parts of the State where the soil or growth of timber is of a different kind, between April 1 and November 1; nor shall any person hereafter within the said time drive any cattle from the highland parts of the State into those parts where the long-leafed pine is the natural growth," &c. HEAVY LOSS BY SOUTHERN CATTLE FEVER. Mr. Thomas S. Bugher, of Kansas City, Mo., writes as follows to the Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry, under date of June 15 last, concerning losses of ranch cattle caused by an outbreak of Southern cattle fever: In reply to yours of the 11th instant, in reference to an interview you had with Major Towers in regard to losses by Texas fever caused by crossing the Texas cattie trail in the Indian Territory in October, 1884, I would state that the herd referred to left Drum & Suider's ranch, on Cherokee Strip, about October 14, and crossed the Texas cattle trail about the 21st of the same month. They were on the main trail about two days. They commenced getting sick in about six days after they struck the trail, and within two days after the disease appeared over 100 animals had died. On every bed ground they made until they stopped the cattle they left from 40 to 80 dead animals. They got so bad that our foreman had to turn the cattle loose about 75 miles from our ranch, which is situated on Red River, in Hall County, Texas. About 800 head of the 2,200 in the herd died last fall, and about one-half of those remaining got sick and became very poor, and I think most of them died during the winter. We have not been able so far to gather but about 650 head of the herd. This herd of cattle was highly improved, which seemed to make the disease more fatal. We had 80 head of thoroughbred and high-grade shorthorn bulls in the herd, all but two of which died last fall. I think our losses, at a low estimate, will figure up to $35,000. We had had two very heavy frosts before these cattle crossed the trail. We (the same firm) lost in June, 1883, by crossing the Texas trail, 270 head of three and four year old improved steers, valued at $10,000. SOUTHERN CATTLE FEVER AT SPRINGFIELD, MO. Under date of January 8, 1885, Dr. M. R. Trumbower gives the fol lowing account of an outbreak of Southern cattle fever at Springfield, Mo.: Mr. William H. Finch, who kills beeves for the local butchers, and is the proprietor of a rendering establishment for disposal of dead carcasses in and around Springfield, informed me that he had carted from old Springfield and from the north side over 100 head of cattle which had died with Texas fever during the past summer and fall, but that nearly all of them were cows which were owned by individuals residing in the second and third wards of the city; that nearly all the cattle kept in these wards grazed more or less on small commons adjoining the cattle yards of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad. I called to see the superintendent of the stock-yards, but found him absent from home. I then called on Mr. James Morgan, the assistant superintendent. He said that 1,000 head of cattle, shipped from Memphis, Tenn., supposed to be Alabama cattle, were unloaded at their yards in the latter part of April, 1884, for feed and rest; 52 were dead in the cars when they arrived; they were billed in the name of Mr. Baer. In the early part of May, 1884, 980 head were unloaded and allowed to graze over night on the commons adjoining the yards. These were billed in the name of Boot, Smith & Co., from Little Rock, Ark.; their supposed destination was Montana Territory. Only 1 of this number (980) was dead on arrival at Springfield. Mr. Morgan further stated: "More or less of the town cows grazing around the yards have died annually." I saw Dr. H. E. Nearing, a veterinarian, who made a number of post mortem examinations during the past season of cows which died in the city. He found the "gall bladder full of thickened bile; the liver apparently healthy; the spleen of a small Jersey cow weighed at least 8 pounds; the urine bladder was always filled with dark-colored urine, sometimes possessing a greenish tinge; the tallow was very yellow; the fourth stomach slightly inflamed." His own cow died two weeks after the supervention of a heavy frost; the bodily temperature during her sickness was from 103° to 105° F. SUPPRESSION OF PLEURO-PNEUMONIA IN NEW ZEALAND. In May last the Department addressed a letter to Hon. Thomas T. Gamble, United States vice-counsel at Auckland, asking information as to the existence of contagious pleuro-pneumonia among cattle in New Zealand. It will be observed from the following reply to the letter of inquiry addressed to him that the disease has been extirpated in that colony : UNITED STATES CONSULATE, Auckland, New Zealand, August 8, 1835. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of May 19, and beg to say in reply that no contagious disease among domestic animals exists in any part of New Zealand. In 1880 pleuro-pneumonia made its appearance in some of the districts near Auckland, but was immediately reported to the Government. A veterinary surgeon was ordered to inspect these districts. He found that the disease had been brought from New South Wales by cattle recently imported. All infected cattle were killed under his supervision, and the herds with which they had mingled closely quarantined. Every trace of the disease was speedily stamped out. By an "order in council," passed in 1883, the importation into New Zealand, from any part of the world, except the Australasian colonies, of all "cattle, sheep, horses, swine, dogs, and goats, and also of fresh meats, skin, hides, hair, horns, hoofs, offal, or other parts of such animals," has been strictly prohibited since the 1st of January, 1884. I am, sir, your obedient servant, THOS. T. GAMBLE, Vice-Consul Commissioner of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. Hon. NORMAN J. COLMAN, |