The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1918-01-18
JINGLE SAM WANTS
WAR ON PESTS

Every year ground squire s, rabbits
Is, nice and other small animals
'rking unseen by the farmer, arC
ach doing its bit by eating grain, dam
ging orcharl trees, or injuring truck
,ops, exact an annual toll aggregat-
g millions of dol ars. This loss is
reis, in cooperation with the State
tension service. The squirrels on a
out 100000 acres were poisoned and
acticaly cxterminated. The result
as saving in the years crops valued
more than 100000. The squir-
VS. were destroyed by poisoned bait
attributed near their runs and feeding
rglS preventable as shown by the
-ork Of the Bureau Of Bioligcca SIR
sy Of the United States Department
Agricu' ture. In North Dakota, for
xample, the bureau conducted an or
:anized campaign against ground squ-
places at cost, including labor, of
rom to cents per acre.
Campaigns along the same ines, I'M
or project agreements, have been
tarted in Montana. Idaho, and Ore
on n cooperation with State extern
on services, and are being pla ned
Or other States, Demonstrations of
lethods have been made on large
,ale in Nevada and California, where
creased interest is being developed
I organizing systematic campaigns
n the determination Of ground squir-
rels.
RABBITS DESTRUCTIVE
Serious depredations by jack rabbits
ION wheat, barley, oats, alfalfa, and
her growing crops and stacked hay
cessitate continued efforts for their
'ntrol in Western and Southwestern
iates. In a single county in Oregon
,out $4,000 were poisoned at a cost
less than one-tench of a cent each.
In many Of the Eastern ard Contra
Rates the cottentail rabbit have done
'nsiderable damage in orchards and
grain farms. In. New York St te
e European hare, which was intro
ced some years ago, has increa"ed
ID is spreading to adjoining States.
I'd IS likewise doing extensive damage
orchards. Measures are beng TAX
to control these pests.
PRAIRIE DOGS DESTROYED
Prairie dogs have been q serious
enace to many farmers in the West
d Southwest. The bureau hac con-
lcted successful campaigns to destroy
EN-. In some of their tests as man
: 300 dead prairie dogs have been
united in an alfalfa field within "a
'urs after distributing grain poison d
18th only ! ounce of strychine. The
lccesS Of the work of the bureau has
duced extensive cooperation b. far
ers and Stockmen, and their work
IS resulted in = large saving in grow
2 crops, ard good yields have been
,cUred on large areas where, in many
'ses, the prairie Gcg infes.atinn hae
,viouS y rendered the Production O.
OBS an almot hopeless undertaking
ICE CAUSE LARGE ANNUAL
LOSS.
Pine mice. meadow mice, and daer
ice are responsible for a large per-
ntage of the annual toll. and parti-
'llary in the Eastern States, have
'rought serious havoc in orchards,
-ardens, and truck and potato farms.
Many melon-producing districts also
'lave suffered from them. In one coun-
~ in Virginia the Horticultural Com
missioner estimated loss of 500 900
% orchards from apple trees xii ed bv
nine rats and mice during the year
House rats and mice are notorious de-
stroyers Of field crops, stored pro-
ducts, and poultry. and the in;t;a' steps
have been taken to launch q nation
wsds aanzpsizn against them.