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Show LIVESTOCK. i 1MBBiflHtBlBlrMaaaMMnMBM-a SOUTHWEST STOCKMEN AND GOVERNMENT BEGIN WAR :" ON PRAIRIE DOG. "In qooperation with the stockmen, the United States Forest Service it'as begun an active campaign against prairie dogs on the infested ranges within the National Forests of Arizona, Ari-zona, and New Mexico. Successful attempts at poisoning prairie dogs were made last spring and summer by theForest Service in other parts of . he country, and this year the work will be carried on much more extensively. The poison used to put an end to these.' little pests of the Western langcs is prepared by coating wheat with a preparation of strychnine, cyanide of potassium, anise oil, and molasses. The stockmen supply horses and men and the poisoned wheat is given out by the government govern-ment ' officers for distribution upon ranges within the National Forest areas. Each rider carries the wheat in a tin 0ail supported by a gunny sack slung across his shoulder. One hand is free for the reins and the other the rider uses a teaspoon to measure out the poison in "baits" and drop it near the entrance of the holes. The action of the poison is almost instantaneous Most of the prairie dogs in a town arc dead with; in an hour or two after the bait is dropped. , Early last month 9,300 pounds of wheat were prepared in Albuquerque and shipped to the various National Forests in Arizona and New Mexico to be distributed. This quantity of wheat will make approximately 6,-020,000 6,-020,000 baits, which w-11 clear up an area of from 65,000 to 80,000 acres, at a cost, exclusive of the labor of distributing it on the ranges, of about one to one and a half cents an acre. The poison is used to focst advantage ad-vantage it he early spring when the Idogs first come out of their winter quarters, and before the green grass " is plentiful enough to appease their appetites. Last month a well-known stockman Itn northern P zona writing to the Forest Service of his stock range on the great Canyon Diablo plateau says: "Fivcycars ago such a thing as a prairie dog was unknown here. Two years ago there were a few widely distributed over the range. Last year I they became numerous, in fact, quite common. If something is not w. 1 j.rompty done to destroy them they 'A ' will do great harm to the range' J As all Westerners know, prairie 1 - dogs arc among the worst enemies ' with which the stockmen have to 1 contend. Where they establish them- selves the destruction of the range j is only a question of time. On ranch . lands they have proved most destructive destruc-tive to a variety of crops, among which arc wheat and alfalfa, grain, potatoes, and" sugar beets, and on grazing lands they arc said to consume con-sume and destroy so much grass that they arc said to consume and destnoy "r so much grass that the grazing cap- , a city of the range is reduced 50 to f 75 per cent. It is expected that the campaign 1 against the dogs in the Arizona and J New Mexico Forests will be most fj successful as it has met with unlvcr- Jfi sal favor among the stockmen who M arc giving every assistance to the V Forest Service men. Range improve- ment in National Forests is one of the chief objects of regulating the grazing, and for this reason the For- R est Service is leaving no stone un- ft' turned to prevent range deterioration. I Stockmen and others who wish to 1 try the poisoning on their own ac- 1 count can obtain the formula for its preparation and direction for its use from the District Forester at Albuquerque, Albu-querque, New Mexico, or from the Forest Service, Washington. r. |