The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-12-28

nolO Dy Ion Is. WueldH, ueIu
entomologist, and the county agent,
with an attendance of 2S2 men.
Mixing bees were managed by the
county agent in several places and
individual work was done with
others. Ten thousand three hundred
seventy pounds of arsenic were pur-
chased thru this office and the
Grimm Alfalfa Seed Growers asso-
citation and a quantity of amyl
acetate. A total of 259,250 pounds
of poisoned bran mash was spread
in this county which saved large
percentage of the crops affected.
Twenty-six hundred pounds Of
calcium arsenate was purchased
thru this office for weevil control,
but due to the unfavorable weather
conditions the weevil did not de-
velop enough to do serious damage.
Only a few growers sprayed for
weevil control.
Other insects dealt with in a
smaller way, and taken up with in
dividuals rather than communities
were as follows: False chinch
bugs, cabbage worms, flea beetles,
coddling moths, cut worms, blister
beetles, slugs, San Jose scale, sugar
beet root louise, white grubs, wire
worms, granery weevil, slickers,
ants, and other less important pests.
Rodent Control
Rodent control was divided into
four departments: Rabbit control,
squirrel control, pocket gopher con-
troll and sparrow control.
D. D. Green, biological assistant,
supervised the work, with the
county agent, in Jack rabbit
poisoning campaign. Four poison
ing demonstrations in the most in
tested districts were held. A count
of 600 dead rabbits around one hay
stack was made in the Moreland
community the morning after a
demonstration had been held. Two
hundred fifty ounces of strychnine
sulphate was sold at cost to Bing-
ham county farmers for rabbit
poisoning. Drives carried on in the
different communities, heavy SHOWS,
and the poisoning work has almost
exterminated the rabbit. Thoro
work from now on will keep this
pest from damaging our crops here
after.
English sparrows do considerable
damage in the grain fields during
harvest and are pest about gran
ernes and farm buildings during
winter months. Poisoned wheat is
placed in natural feeding places
after snow falls. A very few grains
of wheat will kill sparrow so a
very small amount Of grain is re-
CURED for each farm. Two hundred
sixty pounds of poisoned grain was
divided between seventeen commun-
tiles in Bingham county for sparrow
poisoning. The county agent killed
sixty birds with one handful Of
grain. More extensive work must
be done this winter. We have had
number of calls for sparrow
poison at this early date.
Eight squirrel poisoning demon
STATIONS were held in the county
and $3.50 acres of public and pri-
vate lands were covered with
poisoned oats prepared by T. B. Muir
ray and sold at cost for poisoning
private lands, or furnished by the
government for the public lands.
Some strychnine was sold to ranch
ers in the range country east of
Blackfoot, where squirrels were do
ing great deal of damage.
Eiobtnnr dam OF rofinnc Woro
held for pocket gopher control
particularly on lands in the Aber-
deem, Springfield district, where
bitches and canal banks become in
tested with gophers causing leaks
and breaks in canals, and doing con-
siderable damage to crops. Further
work has been requested in other
districts and will be carried on this
fall and next spring.
Poultry Project
The poultry project as outlined is
intended to develop the poultry in
dustry in this county by establishing
demonstration poultry farms, hav-.
ing the right housing facilities, feed
ing, culling and mating, under the
direction of Mr.. Moore, the poultry
specialist, assisted by the county
agent. Records on cost of produc-
ton and receipts are kept in order
to know the profit at the end of the
year. These farms are to be a guide
for the community and demonstra-
lions are to be held on the farms.
Three farms have undertaken this
work beginning November 1, and
three more are remodeling their
chicken houses and will soon begin
the work. ...
Last winter and spring the agent
answered many inquiries as to
where farmers could get good
chickens. In October and November
considerable time was spent help
ing farmers plan new poultry houses
and remodeling old ones. To date
nine half monitor houses have been
built this year and fifteen have been
remodeled. ..
Feed formulas and remodeling in
structions have been sent to all
farmers in the county in news let
ter. One culling demonstration
was held by Mr.. Moore ad five flocks
mated. Five thousand one hundred
fifty have been culled by farmers
and approximately $50 culled out.
Due to the high price Of eggs farm
ers are taking more interest in
1f,xy oI,,n hot hox