Salt Lake Telegram | 1935-01-01 | Page 11 | Rodent Drives Save $150,000 in Utah Crops

RODENT DRIVES SAVE IN UTAH CROPS Biological Survey Chief Reports Reports Re Re- ports Progress in War on Animal Pests Cooperative control of rodents saved Utah farmers more than during 1934 R. R Scott Zimmerman district agent game management division division division di di- vision of ot the United States Slates biological survey reported Tuesday More than pounds of grain bait were distributed throughout the state during the year pounds on acres of private land and pounds on acres of forest forest for tor- est land according to Mr Zimmerman's Zimmerman's Zimmer Zimmer- mans man's annual report A conservative estimate of the number of rodents killed during 1934 at the rate of five live per acre of at area ares L covered will total Mr Air Zimmerman said The early fall ball of snow already alread has forced the jack rabbits to move in from fields and with the prospects of a good winter snowfall a considerable considerable consid erable amount of good will vill be accomplished in the control of at rabbits rabbit about farms where damage is being caused to haystacks and md winter wheat areas Progress Prepress Shown The last season saw marked activity activity activity ity in rodent control work and already already already al al- al- al ready many counties are planning to follow up the work for the coming year With the thc possibilities of or government government government gov gov- aid through emergency relief relief relief re re- re- re lief channels considerable cooperation cooperation cooperation tion from counties and communities is expected More than twice as much bait was distributed in Utah infested areas during 1934 than in any previous year The rodent population of the state is a great factor in the destruction of thousands of dollars' dollars worth of forage forage forage for for- I age cereal horticultural crops and properly annually and because of the serious drouth conditions of the last year it has been necessary for farmers farm farm- farmers ers ems of Utah to bend every effort to save their crops from migratory rodents ro roo dents of many species Mr Zimmerman Zimmerman Zim Zim- merman said Asks Ask Ranchers Ranchers' Aid Alt AidIn AidIn I In directing the campaign against rodents Mr Zimmerman enlisted the aid oft o private ranchers and farmers farmers farm farm- ers C C C workers relief workers the state department o of agriculture national forest staffs and the Utah Agricultural college extension division divi divi- sion In stressing the value of this control con con- trot work Mr Zimmerman pointed out that tests show 12 jackrabbits will wil eat as much as a full grown sheep and 59 jackrabbits will consume as much forage as a year two-year-old steer two Thirty-two ground squirrels will ea eaas eat as much as a sheep and squirrels as much as a year two steer Rodent Ro dent depredations destroy many types of range grass plants fruit trees and cultivated forage crop plants