Show I I I I DES DESTRUCTION TRUe nON IS 18 CAUSED TO fARMS 1 ASTOUNDING STATEMENT EMENT FROM AGRICULTURAL TURAL DEPT Insects I Cause a Loss of and Mammals Each Year In This Country Chicago Feb 13 W E B Curtis In Ina Ina ina a special article in the today under tinder a n Washington date con confirms confirms confirms firms what he characterizes as ns an astounding statement by President I Roosevelt recently that the losses to farm products due duo to Injurious mam mammals mals is estimated at an annually annually and tho the loss through insects Ins Is reckoned at annual annually ly h lyV CO V These statements says Mr Cur Curtis Curtis lare arc confirmed by the tho secretary cf ef agriculture and tho the scientists of or that department deportment who have charge of such matters It is asserted that the thO prairie dogs In Texas alone eat as much grass every year car as would feed I Ia a million and a half of catHie There are arc estimated eSl to be In that state slate an average of o to tho the acre and dogs doss will wll cat eat as this Besides much grass Ir s as a steer the value ot of the tho land lond is very er much Injured by b the dogs doSs because they dig up iii the roots of or the grass gra and destroy 11 U West of the Mississippi river 1101 on the he states where grain Is extensively 1 cultivated ground squirrels are arc ac accordingly accordingly cordingly destructive and cause the loss 1058 of oC many millions of dollars an annually annually In California alone alono every year eur they eat up about I worth of wheaL In Nevada Neada the tho agricultural sec see sections are being overrun with wRit field lick mice alice It Is estimated that lat they ther de destroy destro destro stroy worth of or alfalfa every eer ye I th accurate knowledge of the re relations relations relations lations of birds to the orchard Is pe pc peculiarly culiar Important so that the ardist may ma know his friend from his enemies says Secretary Wilson Much attention has bas been paid to this subject by the tho th agricultural de department nt in its relation to lo the Pacific coast whore where fruit raising raisins Is each year yeni car becoming more and more important Import nt and md the tho of more moro than six I hundred birds Including many of o eco ceo economic economic value have hae been boen examined anti and the contents determined The work has been pushed as rapidly as pos possible sible and the second and final part hart of a report of the Ule birds of California in Sn relation to fruit i aiding is now nearly cearly ready for tho press I |