The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-07-31
No. 25
CATTLE QUARANTINE IN NORTH CARO-.
LIMA.


Curtice, State Veterinarian, to the
Board of Agriculture
Statistics just received from the
United States Department of Agri-
culture show that there were in this
State January 1, 1900, 243, ,298 milk
COWS, valued at "a, ,428, ,O24, worth an
average of $500, and 274,84 other
cattle valued at So, 383, 726, worth an
average of $12.31. The total value
is 81, ,811, $50 for the SIS, 141 cattle. 1t
is a conceded fact by all cattlemen
that the difference in price in our
own State between the two sides of
the line is at present at least 1 cent
per pound, and the fact is that there
is no market for certain classes of
animals that formerly went out of
the State in large numbers. These
easily represent % per cent. diff
ference and in fact SO per cent. easily
expresses the truth on young ami
mails. To add fourth the pres
ent valuation of cattle to this State
means to increase the taxable prop
erty by two millions of dollars.
When the quarantine is once changed
there needs be no more outlay. The
change is one of education personal
work with each owner of infested
cattle.
Sixteen counties are already ex-
empted and have the favored rates.
Over forty others can be fitted for
exemption by the expenditure ofless
than 50, 900 each. Should the cattle
men be slower to grasp the situation
an outside limit of $5, 900 may be as
sumed. Assuming according to the
government statistics that our coun-
ties average $500 cattle each, with
an average value of $15, the value of
the cattle in each would be $4,000.
Five thousand dollars invested in
moving the quarantine line will
yield $50, ,O00 and the increase is not
entirely measured by the value of
cattle, but by improvement in farm
lands, which thus get greater earn
ing value.
''The work so far done by the
board has assured to the sixteen
western counties this improved mar
ket, which keeps for them more than
$3.50, 900 of value over what the ad-
joining counties possess, allowing
for each set otherwise the same con-
ditions. It is we'll known that the
cattle interests of the mountain
counties far Out-Value those of the
piedmont and that their business is
practically saved from destruction
by the board.
The saving of the mountain cat
tie industry has been effected at a
cost so far less than $4,000 paid out
in salaries and travelling expenses.
In addition to the saving for the
mountain counties work toward pre-
pairing piedmont counties has far
progressed and must be credited to
the money already expended. The
information disseminated regarding
the tick disease is daily bearing fruit
and all of the counties of the State
are benefited already to a greater ex-
tent than the'entire outlay, although
the foregoing credits be not consid-
cred. While it is difficult to ascer-
tain all the facts regarding distem-
pered animals that died last year, it
is safe to say that over 81, 900 were
lost to the State within the quaran-
tine area. It seems that this year
the greater part of this should be
prevented. No large outbreak has
yet been reported.
GAS reported at the last meeting
the lands of the exempted counties
are more saleable than those of the
quarantined for cattle-raising and
this fact holds the prices of lands
higher in exempted counties than
they would otherwise be. It has
already determined the settling of
men in the counties who otherwise
preferred to purchase in the adjoin-
ing counties.
'That the cattlemen of the ex-
empted counties appreciate the work
that is being done for them by the
board is evidenced by their extreme
interest, by their hearty co-opera-
ton and by their expressed words,
your veterinarian having been the
recipient of thanks by acclamation at
the meetings for the work that was
being done for them"
Send vour renewal please.