The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-11-17
ALI RECORDS BROKEN IN CAT
TLE-TICK ERADICATION.
e5,520 square Miles to He Freed De-
ccmbcr t-Entirc State OF Mississi-
ppi Clean-South To Celebrate.

tle-tick army right TO the Gulf and
with a new area os $3.50 square miles
Ina nine States cleaned from tick to
bo freed from Federal Quarantine.
December 1 will be red-letter day
for the cattle and dairying industry of
the South.
This release breaks all records I'm
tick eradication. The total territory
released during the year 1917
through the cooperative efforts of the
States and the United States depart
ment OF Agriculture amounts to TO-
7s4 square miles. or 10000 more
than were released In 1912, until now
the record years.
Throughout Mississippi, and in 90
counties and parts OF counties I'm
eight other Southern States. local Of
hcials and citizens are arranging To-
cal celebrations to mark the dippine
out OF this costly parasite of South
ern agriculture.
Tlck--Frce Day.
the governor OF Mississippi. by
special proclamation has declared De-
cember 1. when by the release Of 2s
counties. his entire State will be freed
from quarantine. a day OF special re-
Joicing At the State House he will
receive the congratulations of the
United States Department of Agri-
culture for the States effective CO.
operation I'm dipping out the tick and
driving a wedge of free territory
through to the gulf.
congratulatory messages are to be
sent also to the governors of the 9TH
er States and be transmitted to each
county celebrating it's entry into the
free cattle territory of the nation.
Whar Tick Eradication Means TO
Freed Territories.
Before the ticks were dipped out,
these parasites annually killed many
cattle with tick fever. steadily suck
cd out OF cattle vast quantities of
blood which should have gone to make
meat or milk; wasted. therefore.
much Of the grain and forage fed to
cattle; and. finally. prevented the in
production OF non-immune breeding
stock for the improvement OF local
beef and dairy herds. The presence
OF the tick barred shipments of To-
cal cattle from the open competition
OF the free pens at the packing CEN
ters and forced their owners to sell
them at n disadvantage from quar-
antine pens for immediate slaughter
only.
Tick Now Dipped Out OF 379,3t2
square Miles.
The South since 1906 has succeed
ed In releasing from quarantine $780,
312 square miles or over 81 per cent
OF the originally quarantined area
Mississippi is the fifth, State TO
be declared entirely free. the States
OF California, Kentucky. Missouri. and
Tennessee previously having been re-
leased. Special credit. however. is
due to Mississippi because much of
the area freed was heavily infested
with ticks. There remain in the en-
entire South 349.250 square miles yer
infested and to be cleaned and re-
leased from federal quarantine. The
example OF Mississippi. however, II
Is believed. will serve as strong in
centive to neighboring States to wild
eh the wedge to the Gulf until the
tick Is eradicated from the entire
South.
To Break New Record I'm 1918.
That this years record will be ex-
ceeded In 1918 and that the tick will
be banished from the nation by 1921
are strong probabilities. The States
OF Arkansas and Louisiana. following
the example of Mississippi. have pass
ed Statewide laws making the erd-
ication OF the tick compulsory In ev-
cry infested county. The legislature
OF the State OF Texas has recognized
the Importance OF tick eradication.
although It's laws do not make eradi-
cation compulsory In its various coun-
ties for some time TO come. Indica-
lions from all the tick infested
States are that In many sections the
people have grown thoroughly tired
OF the toll the tick Is taking and pa
triotically are building dipping vats
and making preparations to free their
cattle during the coming year.