The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1919-03-06
OVER SIXTY MILLION
PRAIRIE DOGS LIVE
IN NEW MEXICO NOW
Grass They Consume Would Feed
100000 Head Of Cattle; Cam.
paign Of determination is to be
waged by Biological Service.

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Oue Of the first and most import.
ant measures pertaining 10 full pro-
ducuvliy u grazinE lands w New
Mexico b. iu eliminating the prairie
cog Eradication ~ this animal from
the vicinity Of crops means relief TO
farmers IN NAM localities ~ the state
Of u ~ the most constant n heay-
lest sources ~ loss crops could be
Grown IN many additional fertile areas
without giving heavy toll 10 these
pests. II should be realized also. hat
the prairie dog h. aggressive. con
stantly invading new areas and that
within the memories ~ ~preasnt-day
stnrkmon he has uuf iu his appear
uncc on wide stretches 81 range lands
The forage on areas they occupy IL
reduced from - 10 90 percent II has
been found BY actual test In enclosed
areas representing somewhat better
han average forage conditions In the
southwest that ten prairie doSa pei
acre require TOT thclr susienhncr
practically al % the seasons growth
uf rfass
New Mexico has twelve million TO
fifteen million ncres uf prairie dogs.
Hnd supports not short Of 10000
600 ~ these animals N turned into
COW feed the rrnrs they consume
would sustain 100000 head ~ cattle
small Isolated farming areas In New
Mexico ar" particularly exposed 20
damaE. hy prairie loss Instances are
cummou tn which they have won out
against crude or unconcerted efforts
II farmers 10 hold them back, Good
helds are left implanted on this ac-
count An entire crop may be de-
struNrd hy them. frequently a large
part is lost. and when prairie dogs are
present 90 ail within reach Of fields
Of corn. beans, potatoes hay or grain.
the damage they in1ict g. rarely less
than ten percent of the value u h
crop.
In the case Of q ie-acrc field OF
bald barley examined in CoifnN coun-
ty last summer dogs had taken the
crop completely from six acres, rep.
rcsentiur damage % uyor SEQ. This
was the work uf less than so prairie
dogs.
These ARE ample reasons why. when
the appeal went out for maximum
production 81 crops and livestock 10
meet conditions Imposed hy war. the
Sew Mexico couucii 81 defense APP
pruuriufrd $4,000 iu conjunction
With uu equal muuu from the fed
rril war emergency fund a. be- used
against b prairie d0rr why the "a
tension service. through its county
agents. save ltH best efforts 20 the
worth. and why farmers and took
men responded readily.
NsHrly five thousand landowners
Joined Boo the work ~ destroying prai-
rIv dorr a total area uf 1850 u5s
u,rus 81 duF-lnfustud lama Nas coy
cred a Hy stomatic poisoning opera
tluus. and fully 90 percent ~ the uni.
Uals we're Killed FIRST efforts were
directed to tho a1viur e crops and
ana ss- ucrcs iu aii PARTS of the state
we're su,ntualiy protected.
90 lyrrar, crop roturn- IN Sew
MsNl,u Dsu u, placed as low as go
per acre. 10, saving effected, on the
lHsIs uf most Conservative estimate.
BE- upward uf $500. eco for this one
season AddiuF 10 this the value %;
destroying prairie dogs en- over a mil
Ton acres III rtnre lands, ana von'
uuuru saving Doe forage aud crops for
seasons Ca come the value ut Ia,
| Years work is not short ot $3.50 600
Total cost uf tho campaign to govern
mgut. state aud cooperating land
owners wus less than 100000. A grpul
popular need was met and saving
we're effected worth many times th'
amount expended. Work tg again an.
der way in warmer sections Of the
state and Ia Co be- resumed ON th'
Lighcr levels is oo az the auiWaii
become fully active.
widespread luNllt interest ~ con
|tiuuatlon Of tho campaign b. mani
fest in unora 1f cooperation by Tan,
owners. 4 force OF 20 experienced
toid men working In conjunction viii
county agents, ls ready Tor the sea.
SONS campaign Better organization
end Wldc interest In the work insure
faster progress than last year in "a
ttlug infested areas,
4 Grncral l1an of Work.
Infested lands within u given local
/ ity are grouped into a unit hy oh
, tanning cooperation of all land own
ors The campaign IN TO progress sys
J tomatically init hy unit without hAy
ms any arcts from which rcinfcstt
tion can occur Under coaopcratiyl
. arrangement with the forest service
attention TO clearing areas Of prairi
d.. dogs becomes Il regular duty of flores
: officers during "a definite period cacl
year. thus iuHurtug progressive treat
mcut Ut Invested for"7t areas, slmila
arrangements are iu force a. regard
, Indian reserves.
e. Treatment uf private lands b. hasc'
n on voluntary cooperation by the own
p Urs. The work b. organized and car
ried out In careful detail under super
vision by tho Eoycrnment-state force
. To-