The Semi-weekly leader., 1908-08-05
Tick Eradication Resumed.

The Bureau OF Animal Industry
of the United States Department
lOf Agriculture is resuming active
operations for the eradication Of
1.-THE cattle ticks which prevail in
1.-THE southern part Of the country
and transmit the contagion Of
Texas fever Of cattle. It's men
are being sent into the field and
preparations are being made to
push The work Of extermination
vigorously during the warm
weather, when the ticks are most
active.
Since this work was begun, two
years ago, an area Of about Sc, 900
square miles, or almost the size of
the State of Georgia, has been
freed from the ticks. AS a result
the quarantine on southern cattle
has been either modified or entire
lly removed from this area. Last
| year work was done to a greater
| or less extent in the States of Vir-
Iginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Ten
nessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Ark
ansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tex
as, and California, and it is pro-
posed this year to continue in
the same States with the addition
of small portion Of Mississippi.
Most Of the work has been and
will continue to be done in Sec
ltions contiguous to the quarantine
line, the object being TO push the
line farther south from year to
year; but encouragement is given
Ito local work in any part Of the
lquarantined district in the assur-
lance that when any considerable
area is rendered tick free it will
be released from quarantine.
The work is being done by CO.
operation between the Federal
GoEernment and the State and
EIocal authorities. Congress has
appropriated $3.50, 900 for the
year beginning July /, and it is
lexpected that the States and
counties where the work is car
ried on will duplicate this sum.
The committee on appropriations
of the House of Representatives
expressed itself very strongly to
the effect that the States should
bear reasonable share Of the
cost and that the Federal work
should be mainly confined to
States where cooperation is re-
ceiVed.
Various methods for exterminat-
ing the ticks are used, including
transferring the cattle from pas
ture to pasture at suitable inter
walls, and dipping, spraying, and
hand dressing the cattle with oil
and oil emulsion. In sections
where there are large herds and
large ranches dipping on q large
scale is practiced, either alone or
id connection with pasture rota-
tion, while in other sections,
where the cattle on some farms
frequently consist only of COW
or an OK team, hand dressing with
oil is found to be the only practi-
cable method.
The damage caused by the ticks
and the benefits to follow from
their eradication are not generally.
appreciated. 1t is estimated that
the Texas. fever tick is responsible
for about SAC, 900, 900 of loss an
nually TO the people of the infect
ed country, and that it also lowers
the assets of the South by an addi-
tionaI $23, $50, 900. 70 wipe out
this heavy loss is the object Of the
work now under way, and the res
suits already accomplished leave
no doubt chat success is possible.
though q number Of years will be-
required for the completion Of the
undertaking. Much depends upon
the cattle owners, who can either
hasten or retard progress accord
ing as they cooperate or refuse
to assist III the work.
Literature giving full informa
tomas to the ticks, the disease
which they transmit, and methods
for their eradication has been is
sued BY the Department of Agri-
culture and will be supplied free
Of charge on application to the
Chief Of the Bureau of Animal
Industry. Washington, y. G.