Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1899-11-23
WANT PRAIRIE DOG REMEDY.
The Animals Are Rapidly Becoming
q Pest to the StOckmen
of Nebraska.

The buffalo and the antelope once
found on the prairies of Nebraska dis
appeared long ago, but the prairie dog
still lives ac.: fiourishes. AS a matter
of fact, he as 1lourishing 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
lmal, but as propagation of his spe-
eles he stands near the top of the list.
HelseXceecinSly 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 stoekmen say that unless some
thing is done n large part of the state
will be abandoned to the animal. The
damage done by them consists in the
killing of the grass wherever thew are
located. Especially are they common
In Sheridan county, an almost exclu-
slvely stock-growing district. Ten
years ago there were few prairie dogs
there and all in one town. AS an illus
tration of how fast they multiply it is
stated that three years ago there was
a dog town north of Nashville, the
county seat' which covered less than
lOo acres. To-day it extends over four
sections of land, or 2,5G0 acres. Within
radius of four miles of Rushville there
are now nine towns, covering some
eight sections of land, all of which is
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 its arrival in their neigh
borhood. No certain remedy to get rid
of the pests has yet been invented, and
the scientists at 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 bisuIphide 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 it is set; they wait until
exposure in the air 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 il. The
dogs seem to lie very wa-: 20 80, md
keep such close watch CT - f,:.ls
anything he docs in their eigE':":k cd
is Looked upon with susricio::. aria
conference is almost invariably called
rs soon rs he departs. 'Ti'H scientists
hope for eventual success, d. tic TIC
fact that scientific literGtuG .,Ton thc
prairie dog and lis habits is vcrJ' sent
and ancient. Careful rec,lG of cry
test is kept, and the labor, til" crd
cost are computed with the cIicct IF
demonstrating the least expensive and
most effective method.-N. /. Sun.