The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1911-02-09
War On The Cattle Tick.

OF prime importance to the agricultural
interests of that section. Moreover,
the good that would result from the
elimination of the tick would not be
entirely confined to the region directly
concerned, and thus the matter assu-
mes to certain degree a national i'm
portance.
The South needs more and better
live stock and larger dairy industry,
and these objects would be greatly
promoted by the destruction of the
ticks. The increased production of
live stock by reason of its important
bearing is maintaining and improving
the fertility Of the soil, would be of
distinct benefit in increasing the yield
of field crops. An Incidental though
important advantage of stock raising
and dairying would be found in the
distribution of the farmers income
throughout the year, enabling him to
live on cash basis. It can thus be
seen that the benefits which would ac-
cuer to Southern agriculture from the
determination of the cattle tick would
be very great and far reaching.
There are several species of cattle
ticks, but the chief one is commonly
known as the cattle or Texas fever
tick. It is the one most frequently
found on cattle and is much more
| abundant than the other species.
When the losses occasioned by this
parasite are once thoroughly under
stood by farmers and stockmen there
will be little need for arguments in
favor of tick eradication. Some of the
losses are not directly noticeable and
consequently make little impression,
while other losses properly chargeable
to ticks are frequently attributed to
other causes.
Various writer's have estimated the
annual loss due to the tick at from
100000 to 100000. These
figures should be ample argument even
to the most conservative, for the erad-
ication of the pest.
In getting rid of the tick, it may be
attacked on the pasture and on the
cattle.
In freeing pastures the method fol-
lowed may be either a direct Or an
indirect one.
The former consists in excluding all
cattle, horses and mules sfrom pastures
until all the ticks die from starvation.
The latter consists in permitting the
cattle and other animals to continue on
the infested pasture and treating them
at regular intervals with oils or other
agents destructive to ticks and thus
preventing engorged females from
dropping and reinfesting the pasture.
The larvae on the pasture, and those
which hatch from eggs laid by females
already there, will all eventually meet
death. Such of these as get upon the
cattle from time to time will be de-
stroyed by the treatment, while those
which fail to find a beast will die in
the pasture from starvation.
Animals may be freed of ticks in
two ways. They may be treated with
an agent that will destroy all the ticks $
or they may be rotated at |
proper intervals on tick-free fields until $
all the ticks have dropped.
Spraying is probably the most con- j
venient and practiacal way of treating I
cattle on the majority of farms. A y
good style of pail spray pump will be
sufficient for treating small herds. il
About fifteen feet of 3-4 inch high il
pressure hose is required and a tyre
of nozzle furnishing a coneshaped spray
will be found satisfactory. A nozzle
with too small an aperture should not
be used.
Every portion of the body should be
treated, special attention
being given to the head, dewlap,
brisket, inside of elbows, thighs and
hanks, the tail and the depressions at
the base of the tail. Crude oil alone
aau ha mead hut In neneral % tnl