The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1912-10-25
Progress Of Tick Eradication.
(By DR.. ]. S. Oldham, U. S. Veter-
i~narian.)

On June last the active work of tick
eradication was inaugurated in Grena-
da county.
Prior to that time, from February,
1911, dipping watts were being con-
structed at various points in the county
preparatory to beginning the active
work at an early date this year, but
was deferred until June lst, thereby
making the active working season a
short ona.
During last winter a number of watts
were damaged to the extent hat they
were rendered useless, and the people
in the vicinity of these watts. in many
instances, could not be induced to leave
their work in the fields to make the
necessary repairs to put the watts in
proper condition for use; neither would
those in some sections needing watts as
sist in building new ones Yet not
withstanding the many obstacles en-
countered by the inspectors in the dis
charge of their duties, marked pro-
gress has been made in the work of
tick eradication in Grenada county dur
ing the past four months, as is shown
by the following figures:
Since June LIST, 1912, the various To-
cal inspectors have reported infested
and quarantined 274 herds and 3l74 cat
tie. During the past four months, or
from June 1st, there has been inspected
and dipped, including reinspec-
tons and clippings, 1859 herds and 34,-
TIA cattle.
Had not the board of supervisors dis
continued their cooperation with the
Stat and United States Government,
but instead had continued their coop
Grafton until the close of the season,
Nov, Is, that portion of the county ly-
ing north of the Yalobusha river would
have been sufficiently freed of ticks
that it would have been possible to
have recommended that part of the
comfy for release from quarantine at
that time; and II of the 274 quarai,-
antined herds could also have been re-
leased from the local quarantine re-
strictions, and the infection would then
have been practically confined to dis
tricts 2 and 5, district l having very
little infection remaining in it.
The cattle tick is not difficult to Grad
icate and does not have ''as many lives
as a cat is sometimes credited with
having" All that is required to exter-
inmate the pest is persistent and regu-
lar dipping of all the cattle on infested
pastures every two weeks for only a
few months, but it can not be done sue
c~essfully in one season by irregular
clippings, or leaving one or more cattle
in the herd IN the pasture and skipping
a dipping occasionally. The eradication
of the tick in one season will require
the unanimous cooperation of the peo.
Pile with the inspectors, as both inspec'
tons and clippings of all infected cattle
must be made regularly during the tick
season in order to determine at the
close of the season whether or not the
infested pastures have been freed anC
the cattle ready to be released from
quarantine.
There are over %, 900 dipping watts il
use in Mississippi alone and thousands
of cattle are being dipped every month
The number of watts and cattle dipped i
rapidly increasing every year. Would
this be the Ease if the dipping had no
proved effective in killing the ticks ant
being practically harmless to the cattle
There has been cleared up in tn
United States 100, 900 square miles o
territory. If these facts are not con
vincing to the unbeliever, he has no
studied the subject or is hopelessl
: lost. There is abundant proof that tn
ticks can be ~eradicated.