Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-04-08
Cattle Tick Eradication

1St2CA VI -
\. & NJ. College and a member o"
the State Sanitary board, which is
cooperating with the [. S. De
partment of Agriculture in an eff
fort to improve stock and cattle
raising in the state by killing the
cattle tick, gave an address, which
was followed with the closest at
tentiOn and at the close those
present showed their interest by
an informal meeting at which
many questions were asked.
At present several of the north
ern tiers of this state, have been
qnarintined and freed from the
ravages of the tick.
The last legislature, realizing
the grave importance of the matter
increased the annual apprOpria-
ton to more than $40, 900. 90 in
order to aid the counties in a fight
against this devastating pest.
1t is desired to begin at once an
active campaign of education, and
act immediately. At present
many do not realize the damage
done agriculture and dairy inter
rstS nor their personal loss.
We are glad to welcome north
ern farmers who have lately set
tied here, but some of these leave
large herds Of prize cattle at home
because Of fear the tick. The re
moval of the tick would mean
more, and better cattle at more
profit. Many of Our farmer would
gladly import improved cattle
but are now prevented.
Our stock market is limited
now to New Orleans. We must
ship to this market already over
loaded from Texas cattle, and take
what the buyer chooses to pay
He knows that if we ship North,
we must quarantine u cattle for
a long time in pens, bearing large
cards "MisSissippi Cattle Quarin-
tine.'
The outside states thus unjust
Iy fear our cattle and pay less.
Aside from the loss caused by the
death of stock, there is the weak
ening effect caused by the fear and
the loss Of blood sucked by the
ticks. A COW with lowered vital
ity as a result of the tick is more
apt to die of ordinary diseases
than other stock of strong bodies.
Hogs and poultry cannot be fat
tened at a profit when infested
with lice, neither can cattle, and
one reason why butchers cannot
pay a farmer the top price fOI
tick infested cattle, is because of
of their poor condition. Hence
every COW is sold at a loss.
The yield of milk is likewise
seriously diminished, and thus
the farmer pays a heavy tax to
support a useless, dangerous par
asite on his lean cattle, and lean
er pocket book. How shall We
remedy this little realized drain
on our pocket-bOOk?
, Prof. Smith then said that there
, were $1,000 taX-cXempt cattle il
this county, and that the benefits
to each one of these cattle alone
could not be less than five dollars.
therefore on the tax exempt cat
tie alone NOXubee county cOulC
save $50, OOO.O) or enough to buy
3 five sections of land in the county
The campaign is to be carried
on by funds donated by the state
in cooperation with the county
q, Noxubee county will employ one
,o,o annually OnI nnOfhnp n nor
ton of the year who will super
wise the work and see that thu
. proper remedial measures are
taught the farmers and rightly
enforced.
! Concerning the expense anC
trouble of ,eradicating the tick i
will be but a few cents per COW
an insignificant sun compared
with the good results. The meth
DDS Of killing and material to bt
used will be discussed at q late,
date in the BEACON.
: The U. S. Department already
has one of it's representatives IL
this county engaged in a soil sur
vey, and in response to inquire
: by the BEACON man, Mr.. H. G
t Smith said: ''From my experience
in seeing cattle in all the South
b: ern states excepting Louisiana
can give my unqualified endorse
ment to your movement on hanC
to better the live stock interests.
O i"The tick, as l have seen it owe
one-third of Noxubee is a mill
stone around the neck of agricul
tural progress. The studiOus far
mers here are realizing the disas
+roIS ofactC oOI GRO rna6v tO ar