The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12

pecial menace to society or TO agricultur
until alfalfa growing became establishe,
in ansas But he took TO an alfalfa fielc
ike a duck to water If there was one
Italia field in township. every gophe
Their made it his rendezvous. and IN,
farmer Weakened one fine morning to fine
his entire crop withered and dying whil'
coun tess crossing and cIi,--cro ss.nl
cracks in tho soil established the idcntiiy
Of the destroyer.
Mr., Pollys lin Is so wordcd that il vii
help these counties that are especially
gopher ridden, but will not cost the State
a cent. for this l. n reform session of tho
Legislature of Kansas and bill that calls
Tor any unaCcustomcd expenditure of State
funds stands little chance Of becoming "a
law. suitable person. usually the road
overseer of each township j. appointed
gopher exterminator. He has authority
10 inspect any property in his district III rec
times year and examine IL for gopher
burrows
If he finds the gopher- at worl, he gives
the owner five days 10 begin operations
against the pest If this is not done within
that time tho road overSeer gets to work
ani-this is where Mr Lent and his poison
come in-does the eNteTmnating himself
the entire cost being assessed a. a special
tax against the man owning the property.
Mr.. PolIy's chief rival in the exteuninat-
ing business in the present Legislature
l. Pat Landergin OF Greenwood county.
whose bill Offers n State bounty Of five
cents head on crows J. W. Montne az
neighboring county thinks that his CON
rutuentS would like a bounty Of IL cents
a head on chicken hawks
J. l. Dlesem OF Garden City, though not
a member ol the Legislature. is at the head
of n movement TO induce that body TO APP
prcpriate s.. 600 TO destroy the grasshopper
that ancient enemy, which last yearreturned
IN such numbers az 10 cause grave alarm
especially among the alfalfa growers of
the western part Of the State. whose interests
Mr.. Dlesem represents.
don't know just what could lie done
IN the way of DISCRIMINATING grasshoppcrs. "
said Mr.. Diesem That would be the duty
Of the State eNterminator But | should
think that they might be inoculated with
some disease. The alfalfa grasshopUer
Is different individual from his forsbcar
OF early days. and though we may be made
fun OF in making him a subject of lcqisla-
tive action, II h. another story When Won
see him clean up $500 field in single
dav.
OF all the pests Of the plains the coyote
~ the arch enemy OF the cattle man and
many and devious have been rho means
tried 20 rad the ranges ol his long. lean
preset 70; But the coyote is crafty crea-
ture, and u is smart man who can con
quer him by strategy Efforts at poisoning
have usually resulted in killing moro cattle
than coyotes. Attempts to lure him into
traps have been equally Intellectual
He Is a cowardly beast and rarely attacks
an animal larger than himself. He lives
on rabbits, ground squirrels and similar
small fry OF the prairie, but so ofton does
this supply fail him that ne is driven by
hunger 20 prey on live stock
His attack is always on calves. tho
younger the better As they offer less re-
7istance. Here again his craft serves his /
,owardice. He never attacks calf I'm .
he has separated 1t so far from H.
mother that he can kill it and make ms
'scape before her vengeful horns overtake
lim.
He then loiters on hilltop. a mile avav
perhaps, watching till the m0umiugmotlor
caves her murdered offspring. and then
cluns 10 enjoy his meal at leisure
The coyote is the champion chicken
mef, having his cousin REWARD far out
'lassed. Prairie bred chickens reccr know
he sensation Of fences and pens. and al
Says wander far afeld in search Of tho
cant insect life Of the plains On he
outskirts Of the chicken range turks The
oyotc. and 1t Is a clever chicken that can
lude him.
The ordinary dog is scant protection
eainst the coyotes depredaiions. for nm
ass he Is urged 70 the task he Is much more