The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-12
CHECK CATTLE TICKS
prp ABATEMENT or AGRICULTURE
 MAKING EFFORTS.
Appropriation siIi Carries s25o.ooo Tor Work 10 Be Done on These Lines Mainly In the
 South.

Washington, April 11.-fSpecial.)-- The Department of Agriculture VIII
 make extra efforts during the coming fiscal wear to check the cattle tick among the herds in the Southern States. .,,,
 In the annual appropriation pill which recently passed the House the amount allowed for this purpose was ss5e 900. This :s the largest sum sew eral times over that has ever been voted for this work. For several years many of the Southern members nave been trying hard to have congress provide sufficient funds with view or ersdicating ( disease that mas oseh playing havoc with the cattle in their section.
 Some years ago the foot and mouth disease was so severe among the cattle in the New England States that It threatened to destroy the industry. Congress appropriated $500 900 to stamp 1t out. and the experts of the Depart ment of Agriculture succeeded pracu- cally in eradicating it. Large appro- priat.ons were also made for years to rid the sheep industry of the west Q, its greatest scourge-the "sheep scab. The New England members Of the | House succeeded this session in having placed in the agricultural Dill an item of $as0, 900 for prevention of the spread of the brown-tail and gypsy moth, which unless controlled promises the destruet.on of the forests of their sec tion.
 i Although the Texas fever among Southern cattle caused by the bite or | the cattle tick has existed in the Soutn | for many years, 1t was not until lsVe | that the Federal Government took cog nizance of it by the enactment or legis- lation establishing a quarantine against | nkt Af EntffhArm cattle anIO Northern and western markets The quarantine line as established runs in | zfkzag line from Virginia across the country to California. Cattle coming from below this line must be conveyed .n cars placarded as containing "Southern cattle" and must be placed in pens, when they reach the markets, | reserved for such animals only and a large sign with the words "quarantined pens" must be placed on all such en- closures. This e a Federal and not A State regulation, and that IS why
 during the recent discussion Of the az | ricultural bill the Southern members l insisted that Congress should make the
 proper allowances for crushing out the | disease.
 | Within recent nnonthe 1t has been 1 shovvn that the cattle tick has been | most disastrous to the Southern cat tie business. The losses have been so | enormous as to be almost beyond com .
 putation. Estimates place the number | of cattle below the quarantine line at | between 15000 900 and 1s.000,00O head.
 with an approximate value of $200.OeO,- . O0o Men familiar with the subject de-
 clare that an annual loss of s10o.000,- 900 Is sustained by the industry on account of the cattle tick and the ex- istence of the quarantine. This is only
 the direct loss.
 F.xnerts of the Department of Agri- culture in their testimony before the House Committee this session nave stated that on account Of the conol- tions existing in the South cattle down there are worth only about haIf as compared with cattle above me guar antfne line. The stock in the eoutn Is also said to be deterioratins because
 of the disease. and the omcieis or tne
 aureau of Animal Industry have only
 recently pointed out that IL is neees.
 sarv alonk with the stamping out oi
 +hA cattle tick to improve the stock bv crossing with the breeds or the
 Northern climes.
 ThAsA experts also think that event
 us1lv .under proper trials the dairy in-
 tArssts of the South can be made to
 nav handsomely. especially in the
 States where there IS fair, pasturage
 Al present this line of business IS raI
 heh ind other sections of the country
 But the main thing now Tor ths Southern cattle industry Is to get TIC
 Al inc tick, and with the increased ap'
 nronriations it is believed that much
 y,Ii he accomplished within the nex' 1.-two or three years. n.