Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1899-09-21
PRAIRIE DOC R4lrRDH.
. Pest e the Stseknen
- Nebraska.

The buffalo and the antelope, once
found on the prairies Of Nebraska dr.
appeared long ago, but the prairie dog
still lives and fourishes. As matter
Of fact. he il fiourishing so greatly that
appeal after appeal is coming to- the
biologists of the state university for
aid in Kidding the northwestern part Of
the state of great pest.
The prairie dog is not beautiful an
imal, but - propagation of his spe-
cies he stands near the top of the list.
He is exceedingly gregarious and builds
towns with rapidity that gains the
respectful admiration of even the most
successful town boomers. So far the
ravages of the prairie dogs have been
confined to the stock-growing country,
and stockmen say that unless some
thing is done large part of the state
will be abandoned to the animal. The
damage done by them consists in the
killing of the grass wherever they are
located. Especially are they common
in Sheridan county, an almost exclu-
sively stock-growing district. Ten
years ago there We're few prairie dogs
there and all in one town. AS an illus
tration of how fast they multiply it 10
stated that three years ago there was
a dog town north of Nashville, the
county seat, which covered less than
100 acres. To-day it extends over four
sections of land, or 1850 acres. Within
a radius of four miles of Nashville there
are now nine towns, covering some
eight sections of land, all of which 10
useless for grazing purposes.
So elusive are the little fellows that
the marksmen no longer waste their
time on them. The best hunters say
the dogs can dodge bullet between
the flash and it's arrival in their neigh
borhood. No certain remedy to get rid
of the pests has yet been invented, and
the scientists ut the experimental sta
ton here have taken up the subject,
and as soon as they arrive at a conclu-
sion will publish it for the benefit Of
the sufferers.
The only practical method that has
been tried SO far is the use of poisonous
gases and virus. Carbon bisulphide is
sure death to the dogs, but the price
and the labor involved in applying it
prevents its universal adoption. The
difficulty experienced in finding a vi
rus that will spread contagion and
death among the dogs is that all sug-
gested are equally fatal to domestic
animals and human beings. The willy
little fellows also decline to walk right
up and partake of the poisoned bait
as soon as 1t is set; they wait until
exposure in the mir has weakened the
poison.
The scientists are also at a loss to
tell what food to use with the assur-
ance that the dogs will eat it. The
dogs seem to be very wary of man and
keep such a close watch on him that
anything he does in their ncighborhood
is looked upon with suspicion, and a
conference is almost invariably called
as soon as he departs. The scientists
hope for eventual success, despite the
fact that scientific literature upon the
prairie dog and his habits is very scant
and ancient. Careful record of every
test is kept, and the labor, time and
cost are computed with the object OF
demonstrating the least expensive and
most effective method.-N. Y. Sun.