The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1918-04-10
EVERYTHING READY
FOR OFFENSIVE ON
PRAIRIE Dog FRONT
Biological Survey Forces Have
Completed Plans; Men Are in
Field and Work of Tremendous
Value to Stockmen Has Begun.

: H. Piper. assistant biologist. of
the 4 : biological survey. Of the de-
partni"ut Of agriculture. IN charge of
the Albuquerque office. has perfected
arrangements 20 inaururttc the hig
statewide prairie dog eX-tcrminating
campaign which will hr ON In u few
days.
This Is go De the most thoroughly
organized. tho best equipped. and
the most important war to the C"uth.
on this ubiquitous rodent. that has
ever heon planned ur undertaken. in
New Mexico.
the state council of defense set
aside t25 oN0 Tor his work aud the
government met this sum with an
equal mount appropriated from the
war emergency FUND at the depart,
meut Of agriculture After the Sb0.0O0
was So raised. II war decided To- use
$4,000 Of II this year. In rihding IN"
state of the destructive prairie dog
So the poisons have been purchased
and are massed IN this city. From
here they ARE tn he distributed 20 all
the counties and put In charge 81
competent men both from the state
and the federal government. who viii
Jointly conduct the work NJ destru o..
ton.
Eighteen such Officials have boon
arranged for. and the work tx to lac
inaugurated in a few days. Dr. Piper
asks the farmers and ranchmen 10
have patience. He cannot serve them
an 1T once. but wiz get TO them ~
quickly as possible.
Some Of them are clamorlng for
immediate aid. unaer the heiicf that
when green things grow. tho dogs
Will not eat the poisoned bait.
Dr Piper sfntes hat his idea is
The dogs will eat the poi.
soned oats just as well in June and
July. ms they do IN December and
January. The government has evolved
n secret formula Of poison. Of which
strychnlne Is the principal compo-
nent.
Into this liquid the oats are placed
ana allowed 10 soak thoroughly after
which the grain Is placed about the
entrances n the dogs homes They
devour IN" oats and hat ends their
pestiferous career For some IN.
known reason. IL has been found that
"A few dogs VIII not eat oats.
So these particular dogs. are given
a good halt ~ rolled barley. duly poi
soned ana they thea find that an is
off.
II should be added that the county
agents, doing extension work for the
state agricultural college. always rem
der valuable aid In these campaigns
against prairie dogs.
In the local T.. = biological office.
Dr. Piper has a picture 81 iGti dead
prairie dogs In one big heap re.
ferring to the inert mass Of destruc-
uiveness presented hv the picture. he
said:
In calling your attention a. these
pictures for a moment Il may be said
" a h l6fi dead dogs represent
about half Of the whole number killed
on q 320 acre tract. the remainder
diving In the burrows. At an aver
age weight of two pounds each
prairie dogs weight s5si pounds. or
the equivalent of ~ head 81 cattle 90
the average carrying capacity Of New
Mexico range
L. lt hard 10 imagine that IL asst
pounds 81 hungry prairie dogs have
been maintained by this area. that
after their elimination. tho Increased
forage Viii carry as much beef ar
mutton ON this basis. cNtermina.
ton ~ the dogs means fully so per
vent improvement in forage condi-
lions.
The work Is 10 he conducted along
two distinct lines First consideration
N to be given IA agricultural reas.
with the aim 20 benefit this wears
crops. Grain for poisoning and SER
vices are 10 he largely voluntary.
County agricultural agents. working