Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1921-12-09
ELIMINATING THE RODENT PESTS
 IN COUNTY

~O elimination of rodent pests in Ari- zona, in a recent report speaks of the work done in Mohave County. He says:
 Ben E. Foster started the first rodent control work ever attempted in Mohave County. The prairie dogs were completely exterminated on the holdings of the Carrow Cattle Com pany, north of the railroad track, and against the Hualpai Indian Reserva- tion. MT. Carrow was not financially able to treat all of his holdings which includes several thousand acres south of the track so only the 351O acres north of the track were treated at this time. After MT. Carrow sells his cat tie he hopes to complete the exterm- ination on all of his holdings. Around 40 farmers were also visited on the Sandy district and plans made for gopher control in November.
 The writer spent the first part of October with County Agriculturist Agent c. U. Pickrell and Rodent Spec ialist ILL. Laythe of this office. Sev- eral of the rodent infested ranges were visited and plans made for clear ing the areas of prairie dogs. Ben E. Foster and his crew were then visited in Mohave County. Vim. A. Light, Superintendent of the Haulapai Indian Reserve at Valentine was vis- iting and after inspecting the com- pleted prairie dog extermination work on the Carrow range MT. Light was so pleased with the work that he i'm mediately accompanied us in a trip over the reservation to secure an es innate as to the probable cost of com pletely exterminating the prairie dogs from the reservation. After going over the situation we submitted an estimate of $2,50O.0O and MT. Light thinks that he can secure the neces sary funds from the Indian Service. If MT. Light is successful it means that the prairie dogs can be complete ly exterminated from Mohave County within the next two years. This is very important as they have been in vading new territory west at the rate of 10000 acres per year.
 During the latter part of October MT. Foster and the writer visited practically every farm in Mohave County and made arrangements for 3 pocket gopher campaign during Mo- vember. Forty-one farms were visit ed and practically everyone consulted was anxious to cooperate on either gopher or squirrel work. The major ity of the farms are on the Sandy river at point between Round Val ley and Wikieup which is sixty miles southeast of Kingman. The gophers are so numerous here that the farmers lose over see-half of their irrigation water which is very expensive as in most cases it is pumped with gaso- line engines. Many of the farmers told us that practically no federal or state assistance had ever been given the district along Agricultural lines and that if we could assist them in eliminating the gopher pest that it would be worth thousands of dollars to the district and they would endeav- or to tell the world about 1t. The campaign starts November first with Ben E. Foster at the wheel and the outcome will be watched with consid- erable interests.
 The writer's visit to Mohave Coun- ty was made very pleasant. Thanks to the Mohave County Chamber of Mines and Commerce; the Business Men and especially MT. w. G. Damon, Editor of the Mohave County Miner and w. A. Neal, Jr., prominent cattlemen who was in the last State Legislature.
 The Mohave County Miner carried a half page illustrated article on Co., tober 18th relative to both the rodents pest and predatory animal work.
 The last week of the month was spent, by the writer, in Los Angeles on annual leave where the Horticul- tural Convention was attended and many Individuals interested in the California rodent control work were and many helpful ideas were secured through meeting with these men.
 Respectfully submitted,
 D. A. GILCHRIST,
 Rodent Pest Director & Biolog-
 ;ool Accictoot A Ar;,opo