c and united action for the
restoration of the duty was the thing desired. V. P. Richmond read an
interesting essay on "Merinos; Their Characteristics and Attributes."
The annual election of officers resulted as follows: President, George
E. Peck, Geneva; Vice-Presidents, Thomas McD. Richards, Woodstock, and
Daniel Kelley, Wheaton; Secretary and Treasurer, W. C. Vandercook,
Cherry Valley. It was decided to hold the association's annual public
sheep-shearing at Richmond, McHenry county, April 29 and 30, and C. R.
Lawson, L. H. Smith, and A. S. Peck were designated a committee to
represent the association at the annual sheep-shearing of the Wisconsin
association.

Cattle Disease.

The House committee on agriculture last week discussed in a general way
the subject of pleuro pneumonia in cattle. Mr. Loring, Commissioner of
Agriculture, expressed his views upon the subject in a short speech. Mr.
Grinnell, of Iowa, chairman of the committee appointed by the convention
of cattle men, in Chicago, to visit Washington to influence Legislation
in reference to diseased cattle, was present. It was arranged that a
sub-committee, consisting of Congressmen Hatch, Dibrell, Williams,
Winans, Wilson, and Ochiltree, should meet the representatives of the
cattle interests at the Agricultural Department. Pleuro-pneumonia among
cattle will be the first subject considered. The House committee on
agriculture will report a bill at an early day.

The assistant Secretary of the Treasury has transmitted to the House the
report of the cattle commission, consisting of James Law, E. F. Thayer,
and J. H. Sanders, for the past year. The commission recommended that
the National Government prevent the shipment northward, out of the area
infected with Texas fever, of all cattle whatsoever, excepting from the
beginning of November to the beginning of March. Special attention is
invited by the Assistant Secretary to the recommendation of the
commission that the Secretary of the Treasury be empowered to order the
slaughter and safe disposal of all imported herds that may be found
infected on their arrival in the United States, or may develop a
dangerous or contagious disease during quarantine; and that he be also
empowered to have all ruminants (other than cattle) and all swine
imported into the United States, subjected to inspection by veterinary
surgeons, and if necessary to prevent the spread of contagious diseases,
slaughtered or submitted to quarant