The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1908-07-18


The Bureau of Animal Industry
of the United States Department of
Agriculture is resuming active oper-
ations tor the eradication of the
cattle ticks which prevail in the
southern part of the country and
transmit the eontagion of Texas
fever to cattle. Its men are being
sent into the field and preparations
are beng made to push the work of
determination vigorously during the
warm weather when the ticks are
most active.
Since this work was begun, two
years ago, an area of about 5000
square miles, or almost the size of
the State of Georgia, has been freed
from the ticks. As a result the quar-
autiue on Southern cattle has been
either modified or entirely removed
from this area. Last year work
was done to greater or less extent
in the States of Virginia, North Car
DINA, South Carolina, Georgia, Ala
bama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mis-
souri,, Arkansas, Texas. Oklahoma
Louisiana and California, and it is
proposed this year to continue in
the same States with the addition
of a small portion of Mississippi.
Most of the work has been and will
continue to be done in sections con-
tiguous to the quarantine line, the
object being to push the quarantine
line farther south from year to year;
but encouragement is given to local
work in any part of the quarantined
county in the assurance that when
any considerable area is rendered
tick free it will be released from
quarantine.
The work is being done by coop
Grafton bet ween the Federal Govern.
ment and the State and local au.
thorities Congress has appropri-
ated $250,0O for the year beginning
July |, and it is expected that the
States and counties where the work
is carried on will duplicate this sum
The committee on appropriations oil
the House of Representatives ex.
pressed itself very strongly to the
effect that the States should bear a
reasonable share of the cost and
that the Federal work should be
mainly confined to States where CO
operation is received.
Various methods for exterminat.
ing the ticks are used, including
transferring the cattle from pasture
to pasture at suitable intervals, and
dipping, spraying, and hand dress.
ing the cattle with oil and oil emul
sion. In sections where there are
arge herds and large ranches Dip
ping on large scale is practiced
either alone or inconnection with
pasture rotation, while in other sec
tions. where the cattle on some
farms frequently consist only of a
COW or an OK team, hand dressing
with oil is found to be the only
practicable method
The damage caused by the ticks
and the benefits to follow from their
eradication are not generally appre.
ciated. 1t is estimated that the
Texas. fever tick is responsible for
about $40, 100000 of loss annually
to the people of the infected country
and that it also lowers the assets
of the South by an additional $685.
250, 600, making the enormous ag-
gregate of 500, 100000. To wipe
out this heavy loss is the object OF
the work now under way, and the
results already accomplished leave
no doubt that success is possible,
though a 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 according
as they cooperate or refuse to assist
in the work.
Literature giving full information
as to the ticks, the disease which
they transmit, and methods for
their eradication has been issued by
the Department of Agriculture and
will be supplied free of charge on
application to the Chief of the Blu
reau of Animal Industry, Washing
ton. ID. {.