The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-03-05
Live Stock.
CATTLE QUARANTINE AND THE CATTLE
INDUSTRY.

In our last issue we promised TO
give in this number Commissioner
P~atterson's views upon the above
subject, as given in his report to the
General Assembly. 1t is a matter of
more Importance than the average
farmer seems yet to realize. Says
Mr.. Patterson:
Among the duties committed TO
the board is the control of the dis
Eases among cattle and other domes-
tic animals. To this end, it is given
power 'tO quarantine infected ami
mails to regulate the transportation
of stock in this State or from one
section of it to another and may Co
operate with the United States De-
partment of Agriculture in establish
ing and maintaining cattle districts,
or quarantine lines, to prevent the
infection of cattle from splenic or
Spanish fever" This is one of the
most important duties enjOined on
the board and one involving much
responsibility. The United States
Secretary of Agriculture is given
plenary power to fix a Federal quar-
antine line extending from the
Pacific to the Atlantic oceans By
this line the whole State of North
Carolina is included within the quar-
antined district, from which cattle
are forbidden to be driven, or in any
manner transported Except under
regulations for immediate slaughter),
20 the nOrthward across the line,
and hence cattle are deprived of
the best markets.
But the Secretary is empowered to
exempt from the operations of the
law any district within the quaran,
tined territory that is free of the
splenic fever, where the State au-
thorities will adopt and enforce such
regulations as will effectually pre-.
vent infection within such district,
giving assurance thereby that cattle,
originating for shipment within the
the district, T healthy and free of
danger of carrying Infection with
them to other markets.
To secure the advantages thus
accruing the Board of Agriculture
has co~-Operated with the United
States Department of Agriculture,
and has secured exemption from the
quarantine restrictions of the six
teen trans mountain counties in the
State. The benefits thus secured are
great, cattle being the main source OF
income Of those counties. Within
these, according to the last report OF
the Auditor are some 10000 cattle.
They are of improved breeds, and
find ready sale in the best markets.
1t is not too much to sag that this e.
emption from quarantine restriction
as north to these cattle s. additional
per he0d, OF IN the aggregate $3.50
900. But constant vigilance IN the
part of the few quarantine inspect,
ors employed by this department,
aided by the cattle clubs and citizens
generally, to prevent the intrOduc-
ton of infection from without, is the
price that must be paid for the bene-
fits that accrue. allure on Our part
will forfeit the aid and protection
given by the Federal authorities and
relegate these counties to the terri
tory declared infected, with the con
sequent loss to them of their most
important industry. 1t is we'll known
that d species of tick is the source of
infection which has wrought such
havoc to the cattle industry of the
South. 1t is also now known that
these ticks live and have their being
Gin this region at least), only or cat.
tie. Cattle raised in d ''tick" cOun
try and infested with ticks, become
immune, but when associated with
other cattle, whose blood is entirely
free of the tick poison, convey to
these the disease known as spleniC
or Spanish fever, while the immune
cattle may thrive andappear entirely
healthy.
There is another phase of this
HOW's This!