ugh increased freight rates is the cost, to the railroad companies, of
cleaning and disinfecting the cars that carry cattle and in providing
separate pens for them at various places.
These statements are sufficient to indicate that the loss to the
quarantined section from the cattle tick is something enormous. Such a
series of encumbrances as those recorded could be carried by the cattle
industry of no other section of the country than the South, whose excellent
pastures, rich soil, and salubrious climate are the only reasons for its
ability to overcome such obstacles in meeting the competition of the West;
and it is the inherent capacity of the South for greatly increasing its
herds and enlarging its pasture lands that makes the actual loss even
secondary to the potential loss from restrictions necessitated by the
presence of the cattle tick. This potential loss may be described as the
difference between the value of the cattle industry of the South to-day and
the extent to which this industry would be increased if farmers and
ranchmen were assured that their lands and cattle would not become infested
with fever ticks. Could this assurance be given, the beneficial effects
would extend over the entire country, because the market of the northern
breeder would thereby become greatly extended.
These appalling losses and annual sacrifices of the cattle raisers of the
infected district can be entirely effaced, and this at a small
proportionate cost; for, with enthusiastic stockmen, satisfactory State
legislation, sufficient money, and a corps of trained inspectors, the
cattle tick may be exterminated, and every dollar expended in this work
will be returned many times during each succeeding year.
_The so-called period of incubation._--After the young ticks have attached
themselves to cattle the fever appears about 10 days thereafter in
midsummer. When the weather is cool, as in autumn, this period may be a
little longer. The actual period of incubation may be shorter, for if blood
from a case of Texas fever is injected into the blood vessels of healthy
cattle the fever may appear within five days. When cattle graze upon
pastures over which southern cattle have passed, the time when the disease
appears varies within wide limits. When the animals have been put upon
pastures immediately after southern cattle have infected them with ticks,
it may take from 30 to 60 days, or even longer, before the disease appears.
This will b
|