The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-02-07


authority, Professor Penberthy, states
that the prevalence of tuberculosis in
the cattle of Great Britain has reached
an extent that should be alarming. No
stronger proof of this has been adduced
than that yielded by examination of
carcasses of animals slaughtered under
the pleuro-pneumonia order. AS many
as twenty per cent of animals, during
life unsupported of tuberculosis, have
been found post norton to be affected
by it. Though there are no bases for
exact computation, it has been roughly
estimated that five per cent of our cat
tie, kept under ordinary circumstances,
are tuberculous in various degrees"
THIS disease is not so rapidly pro-
gressive in cattle as in the human SUBJ
ject; nor is it attended by the same
outward signs. But it is the same dis
ease, and springs from like causes. Its
occurrence in the Vermont Agricul-
tural College herd was what might
have been expected under the condi-
lions. The tuberculin test is boon to
dairymen, and the dairy interest. The
disease must be stamped out; and every
herd will require a medical certificate
of soundness before its products can be
sold. The first men to suffer will be
the owners of herds with big records
not that all such herds are diseased,
but because they are most likely to be
diseased. The oleo men will make all
they can of tuberculosis scare; and
the Legislatures of dairying states will
be compelled by necessity to establish
an efficient board of cattle commission
ers, to secure the freedom of dairy
products from the germs of this disease.
IT may be said, and we believe it to
be true, that tuberculosis is not always,
or readily, propagated through the
agency of he milk of diseased mothers,
human or bovine. But this fact is of
little weight, even with men of science;
and will be of none at all with consum-
ers in general. The sooner every tu-
berculous COW, or bull, is put under the
sod, the better it will be for every one
concerned, -dairymen, as well as the
general public.
Do any of our readers grow the
Mortified Beauty apple? 1t is nice
variety, said to be from crab seed.
With US, it has developed the bad fault
of rotting on the tree before it is ripe.
WE should be very glad to receive
notes of the quantity of lumber, board
measure, that has been produced from
single trees, especially pine trees.
Some such have been already sent to
us; but, as we have no index to our
files, it is quite job to look them up.
AS our readers have always shown
generous willingness to favor us in this
way, we may not, perhaps, be thought
presuming too much upon good nature.
Notes on postal cards will answer our
purpose. The editor Of a New York
publication shows some incredulity
about single pines yielding four thou
sand feet of inch boards. Probably
there are now very few trees standing
in the state which will do it, but such
yields are on record in Orleans county;
and, judging from the stumps we have
noticed, in the fences and elsewhere in
the Champlain valley, we should think
that "quite good many" pines in
that section would have scaled that
measure of inch stuff.
NOTICES OF large or remarkable trees
anywhere are well worth making and
printing. The files of our news
papers which are preserved will fur
nish to posterity mine of facts of deep
and enduring Importance in their re-
cords of the past. This so lately new
country is getting already somewhat in
years, and our posterity of succeeding
centuries will be more and more Gu
rious to know the particulars of past
events; and this, not only in works of
history, but in the records of private
life, manners, customs and the detailed
doings of past times. All large libra
ries are becoming storehouses of this
sort of information, and every one of
US can do something to satisfy the nat
ural curiosity of our posterity, as to
how we lived, and what we saw and ac-
complished. -
ONE of the neatest, prettiest and
most thrifty of ornamental yard trees is
the Russian form of the Oleaster OF
Wild Olive. 1t is as hardy as any OF
our wild shrubs about Lake Memphre
magog, and free grower,-at leas
while young. We do not know how
large tree it will make, but it is GER
tainly very hardy, and very interesting
The foliage is olive green, and tn,