Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-13
Nations Wild"ifa Resources
Increases While Liabilities Decline

Washington, D. c., Dec. 13:-
The Governments accounting TO the
American people of its stewardship
of their wild animals and birds dur.
ing the past fiscal year, as exercised
through the Bureau of Biological:
Survey. United States Department OF
Agriculture is contained in the ou-
reau's annual report, made public
today. ;,
In its supervision over the wilc
life resources and liabilities OF tne
Nation, the Government deals with
those birds and animals OF distinct
value to agriculture, commerce, and
industry as we'll as with those muir
ious species whose natural habits
in years have cost the country many
hundreds Of millions Of dollars. On
the asset side of the balance sheet
the total mounts; and the liabilities
thanks to the increasing efficiency
and thoroughness of the Govern
ment's supervision, are SHRINKING
Sketched in high lights and dealing
only with major facts and totals, the
bureaus work during the past year
shows among other things the tol-
lowing results:
A saving to farmers and stockmen
Of about SD 100000 during. the
year at a cost of $l,345, 22O-ln the
campaign west of the Mississippi
against wolves, lynxes and bobcats:
coyotes, mountain lions, bears ana
rodents.
Destruction by rifle, trap. and
poison of approximately $4,000 OF
the predatory animals.
Continuation, with marked sue
cess, of the work begun 5 years age
Of Kidding the ranges-and THEREBY,
making them safe for grazlng--7-o11
predatory animals.
Saves $11, 100000 Annually
An unrelenting campaign against
prairie rogs and ground squirrels,
during which IS 331 1861 acres of Fed.
eral, State, and private lands were
given first poison treatment and
follow-up work was done on 4,4O2,-
662 acres. One hundred thousand
farmers and stockmen took part IN
the work; 1926 tons OF poison grain
were prepared and distributed under
the bureaus supervision; and an
annual saving of more than ST. ,OOO,-
900 is estimated to. have been Ell
fected through this phase of the bu-
reau's. work alone. !. - -
Wholesale destruction in Idaho
Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah,
and Arizona of jack. rabbits whose
foraging annually damaged alfalfa.
cotton, hay, and other crops TO. the
extent of millions Of dollars. in one
Idaho county alone 6S,166, jack rab
bits (actual COUNT were killed, and
in other counties as many as So
900 jack rabbits were disposed of in
organized drives. = -, =
The beginning of. active. and in
stensi4e campaigns against meadow
mice and pine mice whose depreda
tons in. orchards. gardens, and
truck farms, annually mount into
the millions.
Destruction in one campaign alone
lin Texas of 670,000 rats by. actual
count. and continuation Of the Ma,
tion-Wide campaign against thia
most destructive and ubiquitous <of
rodents. a---.... go,
Protection of valuable fur-bearing
animals, encouragement of their
importation, and study OF best meth
DDS for successfully raising them.
The rearing of silver, black, and cross
foxes alone has grown to the extent
that during the past year there were
$40 fox ranches in his country hav..
ing 1880 breeding adimals with
stock and equipment valued at. morn
than $4,2S0 900.
It's Investigations have resulted
also in protection for the great army
of birds which are of inestimable aid
to the farmer; checking, so far as
possible, the depredations Of the few
feathered marauders which damag.
orchards and crops.
Continued and painstakin@ study Of
the habits of various kinds of birds
that the valuable ones might mors
intelligently and definitely be- de-
termined. -
Survey of the feeding grounds Of
migratory wild fowl and recommend
ing measures for improving them
Bird Migration Studies Continued
In a continuation of the Nation
wide investigation on bird migration,
the information of the survey cover
ing habits, distribution, and migra.