The Meeker herald., 1900-08-04


are helpless to save them.
Hand your contributions to Rev. Mr..
John. From SC piece up will be
received and forwarded to
the proper authorities at Denver.
of Prairie Dogs.
A. I. Peters, the pathoIogist of the
Experiment Station at the
of Nebraska. LINCOLN. has
just issued bulletin concerning prai-
rie dogs. 1t will prove OF interest to
settlers of this section, hence we repro
tuce 1t:
Few persons realize the damage done
by prairie dogs. and hence no organ
lied force las been exerted against
them. The damage done by these little
pests consists in killing out the grass.
which they do very extensively. and, as
that part of the country in which they
exist is almost entirely used for grazing
be saved against their ravages.
There have been numerous methods
advocated for the determination OF
these pests. Among the gases that
seem to be very effective is carbon BIZ
sulphide. This was tried on very
large dog town with good results. But
one com olaint against any gas, and
very expensive, and also that its appli-
carbon bisulphide, is that 1t is
cation is very laborious; and for this
reason is not recommended.
This year the station continued ex-
periments begun in 1899 in the north
eastern part of Sheridan County. in
what is known as the mirage FATS.
There were various experiments tried
there, some with gas of a cheaper nat
ure, known as gas drip. but it has not
proved satisfactory. Cultures have been
tried. and these have also not given sat-
isfaction.
The treatment that has proven most
effective is the use of strychninas and
potassium cyanide. The formula is as
follows:
Dissolve three ounces of strychnine
and one half pound OF potassium CYAN
ide in one quart OF boiling water.
then add two quarts of molasses
and one teaspoonful of oil of anise.
Stir. Then place one bushel of
wheat in tight receptacle ESQ there will
he no loss from leakage) and pour the
solution over it. 1t should
t hen be well stirred, while an assistant
slowly sDrinkles into the mixture four
pounds of finely ground corn.meal.
The moiasses renders the liquid adhesive
so it will cling to the grains OF wheat.
The object Of using the cornmeal is to
absorb the snperflous liquid or strip and
thus enable the grains of wheat to carry
4 larger amount of poison.
This preparation has been distributed
in very large town of between 200 and
800 acres. A teaspconful was placed in
and around every hole. The results
we're very gratifying. as it was demon
strated that fully 90 per cent of all the
dogs were killed at the first application.
twenty-four hours there were
large numbers of them lying dead on the \
ground. Some were found lying at the
opening Of the burrow, while some
could be seen far down in the hole. aud
no doubt many died at the bottom of
their burrows.
The results obtained from the above
leave little room for doubt
that the prairie dog can be exterminated
in short time if the work is done in a
thorough manner. In doing this work
The following instructions should be
thoroughly adhered to:
First. in preparing the poison great
care must be taken that the exact pro-
portions are used; that the cyanide of
potassium and strychnine are dissolved;
that no more water and syrup are used
than the recipe calls for. as one bushel
of wheat will not take up and carry more
than this amount Of liquid. After the
liquid has been poured into the wheat
''O "ilolC well btllEtu uIllil
all of the wheat has come in contact
with the sirup and the poison is equally
through the whole mass. 1t
should he used the same day it is pre-
pared to obtain the best results. The
way to apply this Is to take some of the
poisoned wheat in tin pail and sprinkle
about 4 teaspoonful of it in and around
each hole. Do not leave it in lumps or
as cattle or other stock might
possibly eat it. although our experience
showed that the danger from this is not
great. as cattle were allowed to range
over the towns that were being thus
treated, and none were injured, 1t is
best to take a strip about two rods wide,
set stakes at convenient intervals to
"A =. 4.