The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-03

raised, have been peculiarly sub ject to attacks from hordes Of mice of the common variety, known as meadow mice.
 About a year ago. in the summer, mice began to appear in the Humboldt Valley in large numbers. and to in- crease rapidly As one pair of mice will average a progeny of about twen- ty-four in a year, 1t can be imagined the population thickened at fate that would give joy to census enumerator. The crops were ruined. The yield of hay was greatly reduced. Not only were the stalks of alfalfa destroyed. but the roots were eaten All root crops suffered. The potato crop was but one-third of full yield and such as 1t was, was badly damaged. 50 bad did the plague become that in Mo- vember last it was estimated that there were from 5000 to 5000 fnice per acre over stretch of 15,0Q0 acres. In the summer the green food on the surface was the chief objective of their as- saults. In the winter, the roots were given attention by the invaders. Or chards and shade trees were injured by girdling the bark from the roots and bases of he trunks.
 The farmers Of the region tried yari- ous expedients, but In vain. They were not prepared for an invasion Of 120,O00.000 mice. They tried various poisons. especially phosphorous on wheat. This killed some of the mice, but it also destroyed the birds and various animals.
 The Biological Survey was called in to give aid last January. A young man. s. E. Piper, scientific assistant in the survey, was sent to the scene. When he arrived here the ground on the farms covering many miles WAS literally honeycoInted with the h0:es burrowed by the rodent host Various poisons were tri d and finally it was discovered that alfelfa hay to which strychnine had been applied was the best means of destruction in the win ter season. Similarly, 1t has been found that green alfalfa is the best substance to use with poison Tn the summer. From S5 toa95 per cent. Of the mice were destroyed at a cost Of 65 cents an acre
 This means that about 1O0,000,0 ,0e0 mice were killed off.s After the mice were killed the fields were narrowed and cultivated so as to destroy the burrows. It was estimated that these holes or burrows numbered from 20,- 900 to 25.00o per acre.
 A source of aid in ridding the val ley of the mice plague were the birds. Up to. that time the farmers of Hum bolt Valley did mot appreciate them. The crows. hawks herons and guils mobilized in the region of Humboldt Valley by the thousands and moved down upon it. For months the birds lived on mice, but this did not suffice to put an end to the epidemic. '
 Just what is the cause of such wis., itations Is a matter of dispute. For one thing, 1t is said succession of favorable seasons and good crops. es- pecial1y alfalfa, tends to increase the number of mice. The breaking up of the irrigable country Is said to tend to drive many mice out of their homes and induce them to congregate in To- calittes where the conditions are par ticufarly favorable. The failure to give proper protection to birds that destroy mice adds to the other causes that are at work to bring about such invasfons. The Biological Survey Is studying the various causes and later an Interesting report will appear on the mice hories in the Humboldt Val ley, their -extermination and the causes leading up to tis plague. It is doubtful if in all the romances of nature imagined by the nature nction- iets there Is stranger story than this, of how 120, 100000 meadow mice made war on the farms Of the Hum boldt river country.