The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-03-16

same as cotton but not so often For fibre, SOW
in drills three feet apart. and when plants are
three to four inches high, thin to plant every
two to four inches on the row. Cultivate same
IS cotton. Land for lute should be thoroughly
prepared by ploughing and narrowing several
times before sowing the seed. Seed should be
| sown Just before or Just after ram as they re.
| quire very light covering, and under favorable
circumstances germinate In six to ten days, some.
times some will come up In four days The
plants make slow growth the first MONTH after
that time they grow rapidly. A rich moist soil,
well drained. suits the best, though the plants
will grow well on any good corn or cotton land.
Will sell seed put up IN one and two pound
packages, strong cloth bags, and send them,
postage paid, for so cents per pound.
?. s. Two pounds of seed properly sown. are
sufficient for one acre, when sown in drills. l
would like to furnish your people all the seed
they want"
Report of the United States Commits
sioner of Agriculture.
(Continued9
We were in our last speaking of the
contagious diseases of animals as treated
of in the report under consideration
Hog cholera, or swine plague as the We
terinary doctors now call it, and pleuro-
pneumonia of cattle, are frightful dis
eases. We do not think our Congress
appreciates their gravity, and the losses
they will cause if unchecked If there
is any such thing as stamping out" so
much talked of, now is the time to do it,
particularly as regards pleuro- pneumonia,
before the herds of the immense West
and Texas become affected. Hog cholera,
long since, has invaded the West Pleuro-
pneumonia has not, and if an appropria-
ton of fifty millions of dollars, or even
more, by Congress, could extinguish this
disease, it would be money we'll spent.
The attempt should be made, and every
diseased animal should at once be killed
by properly appointed officers, and rea-
sonable compensation, which would be
small, should be allowed for it,. Already
the disease by the restrictions imposed on
the export of cattle to England, has caused
great loss to the stock breeders Of this
country. If the disease should invade
the West and Texas generally, the loss
resulting will be almost incalculable.
This affection has been lingering about
Alexandria for several years; whether it
is still there we are not informed, but we
are afraid it is. Recently, cases have ap-
peared in Clarke and Orange counties,
which we are afraid, from the symptoms
described, is pleuro-pneumonia In the
former county, some eight or ten cases
have nearly all been fatal, some being
shot, where the recovery seemed hope
less. 1t is stated that Great Britain has
lost from this disease since 1912, the sum
OF 100000 annually From that
country it was imported into the United
States in the year 1943 having made
Judgment at that time on Long Island,
where it still exists. Then in 1859 it
was imported into New York from Hol-
land Since then it has spread into
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware.
Maryland, District of Columbia, Con-
necticut, and in Virginia (around Alex
andria). Nov all these States have
adopted repressive measures except Vir-
ginia. In Massachusetts,, $4,000 was
expended by the State and partly by in
dividuals. from 1860 to 1866, and after
l,l64 cattle had been slaughtered, the
disease was considered as extinguished.
Repressive measures have been adopted
In some other States, but not with entire
success. This is due to want of sufficient
appropriation, and the want of co-opera-
ton among the States Immediately in
terested. One State by large expendi-
ture of money, and wisely directed eff
forts, might extirpate the disease within
its borders, but so long as it exists in con-
'tiguous States, it is liable at any moment
to be carried over the border, and among
the herds from which it has Just been
eradicated This shows the Importance
of the action Of the general government
in this matter throughout all the affected
States. We regard this as the most Sc
rious and important matter which has en-
gagged the attention of the present Con-
gress, but still it has been deferred and
tempered with until we do not know
whether any thing practical will be ac-
complished. This disease is an exotic,
and if once extinguished, could not ap-
pear in the United States except as the
result of importation. 1t is gradually
extending, and # dallied with, will in
wade the whole United States; and if it
reaches the great West, with its unfenced
ranges, it would in all human probabil-
ity, be ineradicable as it has been in the
European steppes, in Australia and in
South Africa. No one ought to buy cat
tie unless they know by personal inspec.
ton that no disease exists amongst them;
and they should ascertain as far as prac-
tlcable whether they have been exposed
in the last two or three months to the