The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1914-06-13
BLAKESLEE ON THE TICK.
BIakesIee Writes on Tick Eradication
Expense Attached-A Clean
Breast of Whole Matter.
Editors Leaders

Editors LEADER.
Tick eradication is one of the
progressive movements inau9uratec
10 Mississippi during the past few
years; a movement that has beer
met in many instances by violent
opposition. but has steadily gained
in favor until it has become the
most popular work which is being
carried on for the benefit of the
farmers and stock raisers.
The State Live Stock Sanitary
Board is not urging upon any coun.
ty to take up this work. but il
willing and anxious to cooperate
to the fullest extent if majority
of the people are favorable to it.
And a majority of those must be
interested before the rules and
regulations will be placed in force.
The Board. by resolution, nearly
two years ago, decided that the
work would not be undertaken in a
county until a majority of those
who might vote in an election had
voted in favor of it. or a petition
containing the names of majority
of the qualified electors had been
>signed in its favor. The Legisla-
ture at its session this year legaliz-
ed the election.
An election is to be held In your
county in conformity with the law,
and your people who are to vote
upon it, have a right to know the
whole truth concerning the propo-
sition SO that they can vote intelli-
gently. They should be told the
good to accrue and the expense and
inconvenience that will be encoun-
tered as well. My purpose in this
letter is to fairly state both sides
of the question.
Tick eradication will save to the
farmers of Mississippi. when the
whole state has been cleared, an
nually as much as they pay in taxes
for the support of all state institu-
tions. schools, pensions. etc., and
more. There are approximately
| 1000, 900 head of cattle in the
state. When they are all tick free
and the quarantine raised against
them, they will be worth from SIS
to $40 per head more than when
under the quarantine.
Hundreds of letters in the State
Department Of Agriculture bear
out the absolute truthfulness Of
this statement Mississippi has
been paying a tax estimated at
81 900, cooper annum to that little
pest. the cattle tick.
Not only will the animals we
have at present be worth more
money, if we desire to sell. but
those raised tick free will be much
better, healthier and stronger. than
|if raised tick infested. The feed
that they eat will go to make blood.
bone and muscle instead of making
blood to feed ticks. You can pos
sibly imagine about how much
blood hundreds of these rests will
draw from an animal in year
Then too, it has been demonstrate
ed that tick free COW giving ten
quarts of milk will only give nine
quarts If tick infested. One quart
is used by the ticks that line the
tender parts and continually suck
blood. The food that she eats
makes blood for the ticks instead
of milk for the children.
Thirty-fouf counties in the state
have fought ticks and gotten rid Of
1.-The quarantine since this work was
begun six years ago In those
counties more than 900 pure bred
and high grade bulls and heifers
have been bought within the last
twelve months. The next crop Of
calves from these herds will weigh
fully 800 pounds at twelve months
old Instead Of $50 ii the scrubs