Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-06-20
To the Patrons of Husbandry in the
. State of California.
MONTE VISTA, June 18th, 1875

body, ready for united action, capable
of accomplishing much pertaining to
the subject of agriculture in cases
where an iadividatal would be practi-
cally unseen, unheard and unfelt. So
recognizing your organization, ear
nestly solicit your efforts and definite
action In procuring the enactment OF
an efficient law for the destruction of
squirrels. | take the liberty of ad-
dressing you upon this subject for the
reasons:
|. Because am personal sufferer
fir 1m the intrusions and devastations
of these pests.
2. Because of the interest that should
be taken, as question Of economy
among producers and of one of great
public concern.
8. Because it specially pertains to
the objects and jurisdiction of your
order and because you have organized
poUer that can, at once, be made eff
fectiye.
The first reason, perhaps, is not very
forcible and perhaps is not in very
good taste, as an individual cannot
make his own losses or inconvenience
a pretext for appealing to a public or
ganiZation, like yours, to aid in pro-
curing legislative relief for what
might appear to be private injury;
but when consider my case one of a
uanaerous class, | feel that am speak
ing for that class rather than for my
self. My case illustrates theirs. l am
at present small, impecunious farm
er, located on public land, surrounded
by unproductive property on three
sides aud vast sheep ranches on the
other. | am on a beautiful sunny
slope, a frostless spot, an elevated site
that commands view of two cities, a
magnificent valley, the picturesque
mountains behind, "the deep blue
ocean, and the "islands of the sea-"
I have grubbed, plowed and planted
have worked hard to make bushy,
stumpy waste, which had been idle
since its creation, show signs of hu-
man progress. In six months the
grape, apple, peach and pear have taken
the places of the sumac, elder and syc-
amore. The banana, cocoanut, orange,
etc., are yet to come. -.r.
The products of the farm and garden
have in the same period supplanted
the poison oak and sage and grease
wood, and the vines of the luscious
melon now run where wild vines ran
before. But what availeth these eff
forts? The squirrels colonize the place
as soon as a slaughter is made of those
in possession. They come from the
sheep ranches. They come by day and
by night; they come singly as spies,
in numbers as scouts, in bodies as
armies. Six times in six months
have had the place cleared of them,
but they come again and keep coming
and there appears to be no end to this
colonization. My little crop is to be
taken by these marauders. My pa
thence is exhausted. have asked the
question:: BY what right do these
owners of large uninhabited tracts
raise squirrels to devour my crop? I
answer it by saying, They must either
kill their own squirrels or let the State
kill them at their expense. What |
am losing in time in the warfare and
what / am suffering in annoyance in
witnessing their devastations on my
little plantation, are precisely what
every small farmer surrounded by un-
improved land loses and suffers.
None will be more profited than the
owners of large unimproved tracts;
first, in the increased value of their
land; second, in the grasses which the
squirrels destroy; thirdly, in the sat
isfaction arising from the fact that
these animals are exterminated.
AS an. economical public question, it
is one of great public concern, of
which you are already cOnversant.
1t may safely be estimated that the
county of Los Angeles is suffering at
the rate of five hundred thousand dol
lars per year from this pest, and that
the State has suffered from the same
cause twenty-five millions in the twen-
ty-five years of her existance. Now,
what is the remedy? / simply sug-
gest the outline of plan:
|. Require the Supervisors of the
county to district the county into
squirrel districts, and appointa Squir-
rel Master for each.
Ii. Raise small tax, sufficient to
purchase everything required, and to
supply men to use the materials where
there are not sufficient residents on
the land.
III. Give the Commissioner or
Squirrel Master, power to call out all
persons in the District, five or six
days in year for the destruction on
these ANIMALS.
Any law upon this subject Tor any
other) must be prepared with care.
A squirrel law should be the product
of the combined capacity of the expe-
rienced farmer or squirrel killer, who
has well observed their habits, tastes,
and best modes of destruction. The
chemist who can give scientific direc-
tions to the practical experience of the
farmer or squirrel killer, as to poisons,
proportions, mixing, etc., and the law
yer who can give legal certainty in
expression, and provide the powers
and penalties necessary to secure eff
cheney.
In the hurry of the moment / have
made rough draft of an Act, very
crude of course, in all things. submit
to your consideration, hoping that it
may serve to call forth suggestions,
discussions, and finally the prepara-
tion of some law upon this subject.
Somebody must begin, and begin
crudly too, in moving for new law
upon new and difficult subject for
legislation. You will therefore look
upon this draft as merely introducing
the subject more in detail, which is
more useful than general express
sion of the opinion that squirrels are
great pests.
If the Patrons will take hold of this
matter, communicate with and pro-
cure the cooperation of the local and
State Oranges, there Is no doubt but