South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-01-19
DESTROY ANIMAL
PESTS IN GRAINS
Bureau # Biological Survey to
Help Clear Orchards and
Fields MenaCeS.

Every year ground squirrels.
rabbits, rats, mice. and other small
animals. working unseen by the
farmer and each doing its bit by
eating grains, damasing orchard
trees, or injurins truck corps, exact
an annual toll aggregating millions
OF dollars This loss is largely pre-
ventahle. as shown by the work of
the bureau OF biological survey of
the United States department of
agricultural In North Dakota, for
example. the bureau conducted an
organized campaign against ground
squirrels. in cooperation with the
state extension service. The squir-
rels on about $500. 600 acres were
prisoned and practically eXterminat-
ed The result was a saving in the
years crops valued at more than
S1,000.000. The squirrels were de-
stl Dyed by poisoned bait distributed
near their runs and feeding places
at a cost, including labor, Of from
8 to cents per acre.
Campaigns along the same lines.
under project agreements, have
been started in Montana. Idaho.
and oregon in cooperation with
state extension services, and are
being planned for other states.
Demonstrations Of methods have
been made on a large scale in Neva-
da and California, where increased
interest is being developed in or
sanizing systematic campaigns for
the determination of ground squir-
rels.
Rabbits Destructive.
Serious depredations by jack rab-
bits upon wheat barley, oats. al
falfa, and other growing crops and
stacked hay necessitate continued
efforts for their control in western
and southwestern states. In a
single county in oregon about 10000
were poisoned at a cost less than
one-tenth of a cent each.
In many of the eastern and cen
trail states the cottontail rabbits
have done considerable damage in
orchards and on grain farms. IN
i
which was introduced some years
ago, has increased and is spreading
to adjoining states. and is likewise
doing extensive damage to orchards.
Measures are peing taken 10 control
these pests.
Prairie Dogs Destroyed.
Prairie dogs have been a serious
menace to many farmers in the west
and southwest. The bureau has con-
Quoted successful campaigns to de-
stroy them. In some of their tests
as many as 800 dead prairie dogs
have been counted in an alfalfa
field within "a hours after distribut-
ing grain poisoned with only 1
ounce of strychnin. The success OF
the work OF the bureau has induc-
ed extensive cooperation by farm
ers and stoCkmen, and their work
has resulted in a large saving in
growing crops. and good yields have
been secured on large areas where,
many cases, the prairie-dog infesta-
ton has previously rendered the
production of crops an almost hope
less undertaking.
Mice Cause Large Annual Loss.
Pine mice, meadow mice, and
deer mice are responsible for
large percentage Of the annual toll,
and particularly in the eastern
states have wrought serious havoc
in orchards, gardens, and truck and
potato farms. Many melon-pro-
ducing districts also have suffered
from them. In one county in Vir-
GINA the horticultural commission
er estimated a loss Of 100000 20
orchards from apple trees killed by
pine mice are notorious destroyers
of field crops. stored products, and
poultry. and the initial steps have
been taken 20 launch nationwide
campaign against them.