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FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.

This disease has prevailed in 63 counties and affected 572,809 cattle, 178,612 sheep, and 82,931 hogs. In the preceding year 13 more counties were affected, but the number of cases have increased in 1896 as follows: Cattle, 290,527; sheep, 152,992; and swine, 22,990. The disease caused the death of 824 cattle, 188 sheep, and 80 hogs, while in 1895, 465 cattle, 23 sheep, and 314 hogs died.

PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.

This disease has been identified in 9 counties, with 313 cases. Of these cases 1 died and the remaining 312 were slaughtered by order of the authorities. Besides these, 781 were killed on suspicion and 7,563 were sent to the slaughterhouse on account of having been exposed to the contagion. The total loss for the year on account of the disease was 8,657.

SHEEP POX.

Sheep pox affected 938 sheep during the year in 5 counties. Of the 938 sheep affected, 684 recovered, 254 died, the total loss reaching 37.1 per cent of the sick. In the previous year the number affected was 2,274, of which 265 died, the percentage being 13.1.

FOOTHALT AND HIVES.

This disease was reported from 1 county only, wherein a stud of 12 stallions were affected, and in consequence were castrated.

BLISTER UPON THE GENITALS.

This appeared in 15 counties and affected 118 horses and 217 cattle. This is an increase in cases of 39 horses and a decrease of 121 cattle over 1895.

SCAB.

Scab was reported from 44 counties, and 1,713 horses, 119 cattle, and 4,156 sheep were affected. The counties affected were 12 fewer than the previous year and the number of horses 787 fewer, while there was an increase of 87 cattle and 153 sheep. The loss of horses affected was 3.27 per cent and the loss of sheep 3.77. Last year the loss of horses affected was 2.76 per cent and the loss of sheep 12.11 per cent.

RED MURRAIN OF SWINE.

This disease affected 28,806 hogs in 52 counties. This is a decrease over 1895.

1896.

Anthrax.

HOG CHOLERA.

Hog cholera appeared in 56 counties and attacked 868,777 head. This is an increase over 1895 of 15 counties and 455,215 head. Of the sick hogs, 639,765 died and 13,093 were killed. In addition to these, 17,977 were slaughtered because of suspected infection. The total loss was therefore 670,853 for 1896 and 365,444 for 1895.

BUFFALO CHOLERA.

There were 350 cases of this disease, and they were reported from 7 counties. This is a decrease over 1895 of 2 counties, but an increase

of 144 cases.

Of the 350 cases, 333 died, making a loss of 25 per cent.

DENMARK.

Table showing extent of contagious diseases and number of animals under public supervision for the year 1896.

[From reports of the Danish Minister of the Interior.]

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SWITZERLAND.

Statement of numbers of cases of contagious diseases among domestic animals in

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THE CURING OF BACON.

Hog raising is one of the most important animal industries of the United States. This is attested by the fact that in the year 1896 alone there were on our farms nearly 41,000,000 head, valued at $166,272,770.1 The industry is extensive, every State and Territory contributing to the supply. This being the case, every effort that is made to increase the demand for American pork products is of personal interest to every farmer. He can raise hogs easily and he desires a remunerative market for them. The price is the main thing for the farmer to keep in mind; all other considerations-breeds, feeds, methods of curing, transportation, etc.-necessarily must be shaped to this end. He must prepare for the market those pork products for which there is a demand, and this at the least possible cost to himself. Herein lies the secret of profit or loss. Therefore the successful hog raiser will study breeds, feeds, causes of market fluctuations, and best methods of preparing his products for the market.

Let us survey the foreign markets for our pork products, with a view to obtaining some hint as to what is desired abroad. The accompanying table shows the amount and value of pork products that were exported to all countries during the calendar year 1896:

Exports of pork products to all countries.

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However, as the United Kingdom is by far the best market we have, our attention should be given to its demands in the way of quantity and quality. During the year 1896 we exported to that country pork products as follows:

Exports of pork products to the United Kingdom.

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See number and value of hogs elsewhere in this volume.

While we send to the United Kingdom more pounds of bacon than of any other pork product, the United States is referred to as England's principal source of cheap bacon. Denmark holds the market for the high-priced imported bacon. If we send to that country cheap meat, it is surely our own fault, and one which might easily be corrected. There is no reason why the United States should not prepare bacon equal to the best, and we must do so if we are to extend our markets and are to strive successfully for top prices. Secretary Morton, in his report for 1894, emphasizes this fact. He says: "While the price obtained for Danish bacon is $14.18 per hundredweight (112 pounds), that obtained for bacon from the United States is only $9.72 per hundredweight. In other words, if the quality of the American bacon offered for sale in the British markets had been as well adapted to the taste of the British consumers as the Danish, American bacon would have realized $28,192,300, instead of $19,357,376, which it did actually realize."

An English product known as Wiltshire bacon is recognized throughout Europe as the standard brand. It commands even a higher price than Danish bacon. The manufacturers demand lean pigs varying in weight from 130 to 190 pounds. This character of animal, with the method of curing, has given the Wiltshire bacon the top of the market wherever it may be obtained at all. On this point Secretary Morton further wrote in his report for 1894: "A knowledge of the methods which they pursue to maintain their goods in public esteem is in the highest degree valuable to the American packers and farmThe fact is demonstrated that the bacon which commands the best price in the English market is a lean and not oversalted meat. In view of that fact it is of interest to American producers to place themselves in a position to cater especially for a market which demands so much of this peculiarly fattened and particularly cured commodity."

ers.

An article on "Bacon curing," by Mr. Loudon M. Douglas, published in the Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, has such practical bearing upon the industry that it is deemed wise to insert here a part of it. Inasmuch as the United States proposes to prepare bacon for the same market that Mr. Douglas advocates, there will be found in his article many valuable hints which our people would do well to heed. The article has five chapters, namely: I. Pig and bacon statistics; II. The formation of bacon-curing companies, etc.; III. The equipment of a modern bacon factory; IV. Modern bacon and ham curing; V. The various forms and cuts of English bacon and hams. Chapters II, III, and IV follow herewith:

THE FORMATION OF BACON-CURING COMPANIES.

The Danish farmers' cooperative societies are the best models for British farmers to follow in forming s.milar limited companies. It will be remembered that the great expansion of the Danish trade in bacon began at about the same time as the

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