Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-09-16
AS TO TICK ERADICATION.
John w. Si'eior Has Been Benefited
y and Endorses the Work.

Edttors Kecwee Courier: Some
three years ago my place became bad
<ly infested with cattle ticks, and in
consequence my cattle were poorer
the 1st Of November than on the 1st
of July. Soon thereafter DR.. Ellen
burg, of the United States yeterina-
rian Department, accompanied by DR..
Shealy, assistant veterinarian of
Clemson College, came to my place,
inspecting the condition Of the cattle
ti-k in Oconee county. From their
representation of the history and
habitat of the tick, saw at once
the feasibility Of eradicating them
from our county.
From DR.. Ellenburg's report and
the plausible probability Of eradicat-
Ing the tick from the Piedmont Sec
tiop, the authorities at Washington
directed the State veterinarian of
Clemson College to take charge of
the work and carry out the designs
OF the government to free the State
from the tick infection. In August
following fortunately met DR.. Klein,
State veterinarian, of Clemson Col
lege, at the Farmers Institute at
Oakway, who explained to me the
plan Of determination, and asked me
If l would cooperate with him In
conducting some experiments he
would make at the expense Of the
United States government? l cheer
fully seized the opportunity and gave
him all the assistance 1 could, espe-
cially in carrying out his instructions
! on my own farm; and having fully
: tested the plan or eradication pro-
posed l can candidly assert that the
plan was perfect success and If
faithfully adhered to and executed
there would be no ticks in another
year in the county.
From what have learned of their
history and their mode of propaga-
ton will say that now Is the most
propitious time of the year to begin
the work Of determination, and l
further believe that If the cattle were
watched closely from now until frost,
and not allow any tick to mature on
the cattle, there would be possible
chance that you would not see any
ticks the coming year, because the
eggs deposited at this time would be
Matched out by the heat of the sun,
and If not permitted to get on the
cattle would perish on the grass for
want Of sustenane or be killed by
the first frost of the season. A few
ticks possibly might take shelter un-
der old logs and pass the winter in
dormant state, but would finally per-
fsh In the spring If noe allowed to get
on the cows. 1t would be wise to
burn off The pasture to destroy this
class where 1t was safe to use fire.
We found heavy crude petroleum
oil from the Beaumont fields of
Texas most effective, but any heavy
oil would do, though it might re-
quire more frequent application.
This Oil lasts as preventive four
or five weeks, and does not affect
materially the health of the cattle,
does not interfere with the flow of
the milk, nor affect the quality of
either milk of butter. In most cases
there was an improvement after ap-
plication. One application would
now prevent any tick from maturing
before cold weather, and then one
application, about May 1st, would
take up and destroy any that might
have passed the winter.
This is my personal experience and
observation Of tick infection, and I
have not seen tick on my cattle
this year. Therefore | urge our peo
pie who own cattle to cooperate with
the department in their efforts to
rid this great scourge from the cattle
industry. 1 would not advise any
thing that would injure any one, but
l advise you knowingly and candidly
to go to work and help solve the
problem Of tick eradication from this
county and our whole State.
John w. Shelor.
Westminster, S. c., Sept. II, 1908.