The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-01-24
ERADICATION OF THE CATTLE TICK

The eradication OI tlIC SU~~AN
from the Southern States is PROV
1em IF nrime importance to the agri-
cultural Interests Of that sector.
Moreover the good that would resui.
from the elimination Of the tick Would
NOT be entirely confined to the region
Iirectly concerned, and thus the ma
ter assumes to certain degree q
National Importance.
The South needs more and better
live stock and a larger dairy industry
and these objects would be sreatly
promoted by the destruction OF the
tick. The increased production OF i've
stock bv reason Of it's important bear
ing in maintaining and improving the
fertility of the soil, would be OF dis
tinct benefit in increasing the yield OF
field crops. An incidental though i'm
portant advantage of stock raising and
dairying would be found in the dis
tribution of the farmers income
throughout the year, enabling him to
seen that the benefits which would
accrue to Southern agriculture from
the determination of the cattle tick
would be very great and far-reach-
ing.
There are several species Of cattle
ticks, but the chief one is commonly
called 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 charge
oh 70 ia
tributed to other causes
Various writer's have estimated the
annual loss due to the tick at from
s4O,O0O,O0O to $100,O00.000. These
figures should be ample argument
even to the most conservative, for the
eradication Of the pest.
In getting rid Of the tick. 1t may be
attacked on the pasture and on the
cattle.
In freeing pastures the method fol-
lowed may be either q direct or an in
direct one.
The former consists in excluding all
cattle. horses and mules from pas
lures until all the ticks have died from
starvation. The latter consists in per-
hitting the cattle and other animals
to continue on the infested pasture
and treating them ait regular inter
walls to ticks and thus preventing en-
gorged females from dropping and ~
the pasture, or 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 destroyed
by the treatment, while tho<e which
fail to find a host will die in the pas
ture from starvation.
Animals may be freed Of ticks in
two ways. They may be treated with
an agent that will destroy all the ticks
present, or they may be rotated at
proper intervals on tick-free fields un-
til all the ticks have dropped.
Spraying is probably the most con-
venient and practical way of treating
cattle on the majority Of farms. A
good style of pail spray pump will be
sufficient for treating small herds !
About 3 feet of 3-3 inch high-pres-
sure hose is required and a type of
nozzle furnishing a cone-shaped spray
will be found satisfactory. A nozzle |
with two small an aperture should
not be used
Every portion of the body should |
be thoroughly treated, special atten- |
ton being given to the head, dewlap, |
brisket, inside Of elbows, thighs and |
TANKS, the tail and the depressions at |
the base of the tail. Crude oil alone
may be used, but in general a 20 to Is !
per cent. emulsion will be better
All the cattle should be SPRAYED !
every two weeks and the treatment |
should not be discontinued simply be- |
cause the ticks have become scarce |
or seem to have disappeared !
In localities where ticks conomon,v
occur on cattle in considerable num |
pers during the winter time it will ba !
ADVISABLE to continue spraying. In To- |
taiitles where ticks disappear or are /
present IN very small numbers during
the winter, the cattle should he IN
spected carefully each uyoet II re |
move and DESTROY any ticks that NAV I
De present. When warm weath.r
| comes, it Will be well in ali cases IN !
which spraying has been discontinued
uull1s the winter to begin spraying I
ana continue until it can be deter
mined with certainty that ertdicat;or
mas been accomplished The snray
| lns should not be delayed until tiets