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Show DESTRUCTION IS CAUSED TO. FAR , ASTOUNDING STATEMENT FROM AGRICULTURAL DEPT. Insects Cause a Loss of ?650,0OO,0Oa and Mammals $130,000,000 Each Year In This Country. Chicago. Feb. 13. W. E. Curtis, in a special article in the Record-Herald today, under a Washington date, confirms con-firms what he characterizes as an "astounding statement" by President Roosevelt recently that "the losses to farm products due to injurious mammals mam-mals is estimated at 5130.000,000 an-cuallv, an-cuallv, and the loss through iusecta is reckoned at 565O.o0O.0UO annually." annual-ly." "These statements," says Mr. Curtis, Cur-tis, "are confirmed by the secretary cf agriculture and the scientists of that department who have charge of such matters. It is asserted that the prairie dogs in Texas alone eat as much grass every year as would reed a million and a half of catttle. Then are estimated to be 400.000,000 In that state, an average of twenty-live to the acre, and 260 dogs will eat as much grass a3 a steer. Besides this, the value of tho land is very much injured by the dogs, because they dig up the roots of the grass and destroy "West of the Mississippi river, on the states where grain is extensively cultivated, ground squirrels are accordingly ac-cordingly destructive and cause tho loss of many millions of dollars an- nualiy. In California alone every year they eat up about 52.000.000 worth of wheat. "In Nevada, the agricultural sections sec-tions are being overrun with Held mice U is estimated that they destroy, de-stroy, 5300.000 worth of alfalfa every year. . "An accurate knowledge or the relations re-lations of birds to the orchard Is peculiarly pe-culiarly Important, so that tho orch-nrdist orch-nrdist mav know hi3 friend rrom his enemies." says Secretary Wilson. "Much attention has been paid to this subject by the agricultural department de-partment in its relation to the Pacific coast where fruit raising U each year becoming more and more important and the stomaches of more than sx hundred birds, including many of economic eco-nomic value, havo been examined ana the contents determined. The work has been pushed as rapidly as possible, pos-sible, and the second and final part of a report cf the birds or California in relation to frnit rating Is uow uearly ready for the press." , u 1 |