The Elbert County tribune., 1903-03-05
FARMING MATTERS.
Benton on PrairIe pous.

At tho recent meeting of the Col
orado Cattle and Horse Growers As
sociation in Denver Hon. Frank Ben
ton read paper ON "rhe Oldest In
habitant of the Range" Mr.. Benton's
paper bristled with sharp points, and
his wit kept the stocRmen laughing
most OF the time he was on the noor
The oldest inhabitant OF the range"
proved 10 be the prairie dog. the great
grass destroyer. Mr.. Benton said
twenty prairie dogs would eat as
much grass In the summer time as one
sheep, and forty would eat as much
grass in the summer time as one
sheep would eat the year round The
plains country in Colorado east OF the
mountains Is 800 miles north and
south and 200 miles east and west
Perhaps two-thlrds OF this area Is oc-
cuDied by prairie dogs. AT least one
hair is so occupied, or 1D.2uO.OOO acres.
The dogs average 100 TO the acre. and
thus the stock growers are feeding
Colorado grass east of the Rockies 10
1.J2O. 100000 prnirie dogs-enough
grass to Craze 4S.O00OOO sheep or
3s4 900 cattle.
Nv hat IS the remedy for this great
pestT' asked Mr.. Benton. -Can we
make treaties with them, as we did
with the Indians, and Dy giving them
an agent and few beads and blank
cts. get them onto n small reservation
and gradually stnrve them to deathf |
guess we've got politicians smart
enough for that II they could only ac-
quire the prairie dog language" The
recipe for killing the dogs-guaranteed
TO be effectual-ls one tenspoonful OF
blsulphide OF carbon, soaked Into any
dry substance and dropped down n
prairie dog hole. 1t will Kill every dog
in the den. A half gallon will Kill 200
dogs. One hundred million more cnt-
tie could be kept If the prairie dogs
We're Killed"
Mr.. Benton. who is one Of the larg-
est leasers of land. snld ON this point
THE lensing question Is here TO stay
until grazing lands are recognized by
the people OF the East. the land de
partment at Washington and the Uni
ted States government. The leasing
sentiment is growing all the time. and
find hundreds of shcepmen who own
their own ranches are In favor of n
leasing system.
Twenty years ago. in Wyoming. n
sheepman was unknown, but how IL 1t
nowl Nearly all the state officers are
in the sheep business. You go Into the
towns anywhere IN the state and you
hear the sheepmcn blattlug to one an
other across the streets about their
eve bands. their lamb bands and their
ram bands.
When sheepman goes to "A town
or city in the state OF Wyoming he
doesn't take his cold lunch, MS in form
er days. aud so out behind the black
smith shop and fight the dogs away
while he eats II. No. sir. The bank
er. or the Judge or tho governor takes
him to dine at the club. or his own
home And all the society or attention
a poor devil Of cownan gets * some
broken-down. bow-lcgged cowpunchcr,
who is begging for Job. And that is
where you VIII be. fellow cnttlcmen.
in a few years, II you don't hX your
self with lease law
MIR. Benton made a plea for the coy
ote. which. he said. is the only AMI
NAL that hunts the prairie dog from
morning till night. all the year round
and when not engaged In killing
prairie dogs. incidentally picks OF
our other enemy, the sheep" lie
described II prairie dog town in north
ern Colorado ana southern Wyoming,
covering 4,4S000o acres, inhabited by
44s,OO0,0O0 of prairie dogs. eating
grass that would support 9.000.O0O
sheep or 10000 cattle.