The Ordway new era., 1919-08-08

NtS8MX9kH S1Qeratl0n IN tne house lne
VlSS%9zyH following memorial from
New Mexico was read:
Whereas, we believe that the work
Of exterminating predatory wild anil
mails and range-destroying rodents car
r1ed on under the direction of the bio
logical survey during the past few
years has been very successful. and
that under the thorough organization
and efficient plans of that bureau this
evil will be largely minimized. If not
entirely removed, provided the differ
ent states will heartily cooperate with
the federal government In Its plan of
work and
whereas at the present time the
funds appropriated by congress for
this purpose are wholly inadequate to
meet the real requireNents of the bio
logical survey In carrying on this work.
and on that account the results OBJ
tanned are not satisfactory In most sec
tions of the West; and
"Whereas 1t is our belief that the
present laws of the states should be
repealed. and in lieu thereof the vari-
GUS states should. through their several
sufficient money to equal the amounts
to be expended by the federal govern
ment In the different states, and that
such state appropriations should be ex-
pended under the direction of the bio
logical survey, to he handled in con-
junction with the funds appropriated
by congress: therefore be 1t
"Resolved by the New Mexican Cat
tie and Horse Growers association, in
lconvention assembled at Albuquerque,
N. NJ, March 25. 90 and 81, 1919, that
we urge congress to appropriate the
additional sum of 100000 for imme-
diate use in the determination of preda-
tory wild animals and range-destroy-
ing rodents. and that we petition the
various states to make appropriations
at least equal to the amounts expend-
ed by the federal governme.-i In the
various states, said money. both fed
eral and state, to be expended under
the direction of the biological survey"
This question of predatory wild ami
mails and rodents-which are also
predatory animals in the true sense
of the word, inasmuch as they raid and
pillage the crops-is a serious one in
many parts of the West. The case of
New Mexico is typical so the remarks
of Representative Hernandez of New
Mexico concerning the situation are
of interest. He said in part:
"One of the serious problems con-
fronting those engaged In promoting
Increased production of food crops and
meat animals was the tremendous dam
age to growing crops and to range
grasses caused by prairie dogs and
other rodents, and the loss of cattle,
sheep, and poultry from wild animals.
Investigations by the United Stntes bi-
illogical survey show that the annual
losses In the United States from preda-
tory wild animals amounted to several
hundred million dollars, and the loss
from rodents is probably greater. The
annual loss in New Mexico was vari-
ously estimated at from fifteen to twen-
ty-fivc million dollars. The method
, used by the biological survey has been
perfected by years of investigation and
experimenting and Is very success
full. The "kill" of prairie dogs Is gen.
orally from S5 to 95 per cent by the
lse of poisoned oats. They followed
up the work by using poisoned rolled
barley and later by using fumigants,
such as bisulphide of carbon. with
which. if carefully and thoroughly used.
good start has been made.
"The biological survey had co-opera-
tive arrangements in several states for