East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-07-08

The following is from the Pioneer
of Madras, Crook county:
Stanley E. Piper of the Biological
survey Of the department Of agricul-
ture, was visitor in Madras for
few hours last Friday, and while
here made trip out across Agency
Plains for the purpose of noting con-
ditions, in connection with his expert
ments in the determination of sage
rats by incubation. Mr.. piper was re-
turning from Haycreek, where he had
spent a week investigating a disease
among the rabbits of this section, and
could not stay longer as he was due
at Pullman Sunday morning on other
business. He took back with him
small box of sage rats from the
Plains, upon which he expects to con-
tinue his experiments.
Owing to the lateness of the season,
Mr.. Piper stated that he would not
be able to make field tests in this To-
cality this season, but that early next
spring he would come here and con-
duct number of field tests through
out this section. The sage rats of
| this variety begin to hibernate about
! August !, and ii is too late now to
make much Of a beginning, so the ex-
| periments are necessarily deferred
until next season, when an early start
Will be made.
Mr. Piper speaks Interestingly Of
! his investigations at Haycreek, where
he spent the week investigating the
rabbit disease. The disease. he says.
is new one to him, and he took to
Pullman with him several carcasses
of the diseased rabbits, with which to
pursue his Investigations.
The disease was first discovered a
year ago by Mr.. Welsh an Australian
who was visiting the headquarters of
the Baldwin Sheep & Land co. Hav-
ing in mind the rabbit plague in Aus
tralia, Mr.. Welsh secured several car
casses of the diseased rabbits. which
he was taking to Australia to turn
over to the biological department of
the government there. for investiga-
tion. on board the steamer the case
of rabbits was thrown overheard by
mistake.
DIR. David Starr Jordan of Stanford
university. was aboard the same ves-
sci, and being told by Mr.. Welsh of
the disease among the rabbits. report
ed it to the biological survey of the
department of agriculture. and upon
this information Mr.. Piper was sent to
Haycreek to investigate. The disease
Is general among the rabbits of this
entire section. Mr.. Piper killed -
rabbits at Haycreek. seven of them
adult rabbits. and each of the grown
rabbits was affected with the disease.
Ranchers of this locality have no.
ted the diminishing numbers of the
jack rabbits, which have decreased
greatly in the past year. It was at
first thought that the severe winter
had destroyed them. but Investigation
shows that the decrease is due to the
ravages of the disease. If the gov
ernment can turn the discovery to
use in eXterminating the rabbits else
| where. 1t will prove of great value
To other sections Of this country, and
To such countries as Australia. where
the rabbit plague has been occupying
the attention of the government for
years.
Regarding the investigations which
Mr.. Piper has been conducting with
the sage rats, he promised to furnish
us data soon for publication. Last
year in Whitman county. Washington.
MIR. Piper gathered data regarding
the amount of money spent for poisons
Tor combating the sage rat. and the
amount reached the enormous total Of
$4,000 in that county alone He also
made careful estimate of the dam
age done by the rats, including cost Of
poison and labor of combating the
rats, together with the actual dam
age to the crops and in Whitman
county alone he places the damage at
S3OO,OOO, which he says is a very con-
servative estimate. Some idea of the
scope of his work, and the benefits
which he hopes to secure for the
farmer, may be gathered from this
| estimate.