The Green Forest tribune., 1907-01-04

dipping of cattle was first used in Alabama by a federal inspector in 19O9 He modified the large vats previously used in oil dipping of animals in interstate commerce previous to 1909. Swabbing and spraying by hand were the methods gen.. erally used in the eradication work. The vat method has been found to be not only effective and speedy, but to be comparatively inexpensive
 In September 1917, 21,095 public private vats were available in ten Southern states. The work Tn 336,67S square miles of territory was supervised by PIP inspectors of the bureau of animal industry; 351 state inspectors and 1,2O9 county inspectors.
 A powerful aid in the tick fight has been the passage of state laws enabling effective federal cooperation. In 1906, when the first federal ap- proprfation to tnaugurate plan of cooperation with states was made, such laws were in exis- tence in, only seven Southern states-Virginia North Carolina, Georgia Kentucky Tennessee, Oklahoma and California. Since then laws have been enacted in Alabama, Arkansas. Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi South Carolina and Texas The only state affected by ticks and missing from this list Is Missouri, in which only four counties were infected in 19O6 and which is now com pletely free.
 Federal cooperation does not mean that the national government builds the vats nor supplies the money and materials with which to "dip the tick" and kill 1t. But it does mean that the bu- of animal industry of the United States de- partment of agriculture furnishes trained men to supervise the work of clipping and show the peo- pie of any county how to make beginning Ap- preciation of this cooperation is shown by the fact that every state and most counties in the tick regions have appropriated public moneys to take advantage of the scientific and practical knowl- edge placed at their disposal by the federal gov ernment.
 To survey adequately the benefits from tick eradication glance m ss+Sbe taken at the baneful effects of infessttss ttetf ae not oply die from the fever transmitted by ,the tick,~Dat they lose f1Vu In, n<lx,of and reproductive power. The ticks suck the blood that should go to make beef and milk prevent sale of infested cattle outside the quarantine area except for immediate slaughter and at al- most any price the buyer chooses to pay; and closes the door to importation of better stock to improve the quality of herd, for new cattle brought into ticky country are easy and luscious prey for the tick.
 Many Cattle Raisers Praise Fight Against Tick.
 Benefits from tick eradication are told in hun dreds of letters received annually by the bureau of animal industry. The consensus of opinion in these letters indicates that the average cattle freed of ticks are enhanced in value about $10 0 head, weigh one-ffth heavier, grade one-fourth better and are safe from cattle fever and from shrinkage on account of ticks. The letters also show that where the tick is dipped out the South ern cattle industry is growing, that there is more improved blood that the milk yield of cows is fn- creased about one-fourth and that there is an in- crease or fOrage crops and SilOS.
 Here some reasons why, in the opinion of department of agriculture officials, tick eradica- tion is important, especially at the present time, and why the fight now half won must go on to complete victory:
 CD Good agriculture is dependent upon animal husbandry, and of the domesticated animals cat tie are the leaders for fertilizer purposes (2) the supply of beef is not keeping pace with the de- mand and must be increased to meet the needs of America and its allies in the war; (3) cotton production, menaced by the boil weeyil must be kept up by cattle fertilizer and must be supple mented by cattle raising in order that the cattle farmer may thrive and be able to raise cotton at all; (4) the cattle business of the South, long a negligible item in most states because of depres- sion caused by the ticks. be made the equal of that of any country.
 The progress made so far in tick eradication Is taken to mean that every square mile in the South will be freed from the cattle tick within a few years. From the areas released from tick domina- ton and quarantine will go forth to the areas still infested not only the inspiration of accomplish ment but alsf the practical help of the federal inspectors re4ased from work in the counties just freed and ready for laD0rs in new fields.