The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-12-03
BIOLOGICAL SURVEY.
lis Great Work In Behalf Of Our Agri
cultural Interests.

The biological survey is quietly
working for the good of our agricul
ural interests and Is an excellent eN
ample of government bureau which
conducts original scientific rcsrarrl
the findings or which are nf mtt
practical utility. For more than TWEEN
ty years IL has studied the food hahii
of birds and mammals that are inju
rlous or beneficial 10 agriculture ho'
tlculturc AMI forestry. has distrlhutct
| illustrated bulletins on the subject ana
I has laborrd To- secure legislative p.o
lection for the beneficial species. TIC
cotton boil Vccyil, which has recent.
ovcrspgcad the cotton belt Of TeNas
and Is steadily extending its range. l.
| said TO cause Hu annual loss Of about
| Si,OOO.ODO The biological survey hae
asccrtaincl and given wide puhlicit!
/ to the fact that NJ least forty-thrcc
/ kinds Of birds prey upon this dcstrUr
. tive insect II has discovered that q,
/ ty-scvcu species Of birds feed uuo.
scale insects. dreaded enemies of IN,
| fruit grower. II has shown that wool
| pcclierS aS a class by destroying the
| larvae Of wood boring insects are 50
essential tn tree life that II Is doubif'n
/ II Our forests could exist without them
/ IL has shown that cuckooS and orlolcs
are the natural enemies Of the lea.
eating catcrpIllnrs that destroy ou;
I shade aud fruit trees; that our QuNlls
/ AMI sparroWs consume annually hun
| dredS Of tons uf seeds of noNiOu
| weeds: that hawks and owls as n class
! excepting the few that Kill poultry
/ and game birdSI are markedly hcncf
| cial, spending their lives in catching
! grasshpppcrs, mice and other pest
! that prey upon the products of hus
/ bandry. L has conducted field expert
mcnts for The purpose Of devislng Ju'
pcrfcctiu- simple methods for holdiu"
In check the hordcs of destructive no
I dents rats, mice. rabbits. gophcr>
prairie dogs ana ground squirrels
which annually destroy crops worll
many millions Of dollars, aud Il h.,
published practical directions for tho
destruction of wolves and coyotes ur
the stock ruug"s of the west. rcsull,nl
during the past year I'm an estimate
saving of cattle ana sheep valued 81
upward OF a million dollars.
II has maUguratcd n system Of In
spcction al thc principal ports Of en-
try oA lota Atlantic and Pacific CO.'S.
by means - which the Introduction o
noNiou, mammals and birds is pre-
vented, thus Keeping out the mongoo,,
and certain birds which are as mgn'
to b. dreaded %, the previously intro
ducc1 English sparrow and the hou9,
rIts ANA m.r'.
Ia the i0to"c of game protection !
has co-opcrl'nI with local officials Il
every state In the Union, has strive
20 promote uniform legislation I'm a..
several states, has rendered importIU
service in enforcing the federal Law
regulating Interstate traffic in gam,
and ha, shown how game protection
may he made 10 yicld a large revenue
to the state. n revenue amounting IL
the case Of Illinois To Sl2S,O00 in {
single year
The biological survey has explores
the fauuas and floras of America will
reference to the distribution of AMI
mails and plants. II has defined an,
mapped the natural life areas-arca
In which, by reason OF prevailing eli
matte conditions, certain kinds of Gnl
mails ana plants occur-and has point
ed out the adaptability Of these area
10 the cultivation OF particular crops
The results OF these Investigations ar,
not only of high educational value, hu
are worth each year 10 the progrcssiv,
farmers Of the country many times tn
cost Of maintaining the survey. which
Il may b. added, is exceedingly small
| recommend TO congress that this bu
reau, whose usefulness Is seriousl,
handicapped by lack of funds. b.
granted an appropriation In some de
gree commensurate with the impof
tance OF the work ii is doing,