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Show flBy JIM RHODYrJ Mighty Mite The repulsive looking fellow ii the accompanying drawing is a chig-ger, chig-ger, or technically, a mite membei of the family oi mites, spiders, ticks and scorpions which causes sportsmen sports-men in the south and midwest more discomfort than another insect or animal. He is a juvenile delinquent, a newly-hatched baby or larva stage of the common, bright red, spider-like mite often seen in early spring in gardens and fields. ' The best way to get "loaded" with chiggers is to sit or lie down in areas where they abound. But, one can usually gets sufficiently infested while walking along a stream looking for that good bass hole. But getting down to the purpose of this item, to protect yoursell when out on a camping trip this ABOVE, SREATLy l " ENLARGEP LARVAE ff & J OF THg CHI6GER ' MfTE. ONLY THE LARVAE FKP UPOM AUIM4LS. PAPA, AT RIGHT, EST5 DEAD ORGAMIC MATTER. summer, treat the ankles, calves, stockings, and trouser legs with a recommended insect repellent or a few pinches of ordinary sulphur. This is, however, only temporary protection. After a fishing trip a shower or bath with soap and water will help reduce severity of attack. A number of houshold items will help relieve chigger bites, including includ-ing ammonia, a weak solution ol lysoL rubbing alcohol, camphor, vaseline, chloroform, iodine, or fingernail polish. These material will also kill the chigger. AAA A Noble Try Back in 1879 Missouri's first fish commission made a noble experiment experi-ment in restocking the state's streams with fish. Although it failed, the experiment has been called the first sincere attempt to restock midwest mid-west streams. The commission's first act was to establish a fish hatchery where speckled trout and such exotic species spe-cies as California salmon, Atlantic white shad and German carp were hatched. The California salmon and white shad are migratory species which live in the ocean except during early spring when they move up 1 fresh-water rivers and streams to spawn. It was believed that these species, released in Missouri, would go to the Gulf then return each spring to spawn. Some 200,000 salmon fry were released In several Ozark streams by the commission. Five years after the first release, re-lease, the commissioners wrote: "We have placed California salmon sal-mon In our waters for five successive suc-cessive years. No adult salmon has yet been captured on his return re-turn into our streams. There is no reason yet to be discouraged, as those fish cannot reach maturity ma-turity in less time." Time moved on and as yet no one has reported catching a matured salmon. But it was a noble try. Perhaps the most colorful of the early operations was the rearing ol German carp, such as practiced in the old countries. The commissioners commission-ers had in their employ an "expert carp culturist" from Germany. Landowners were encouraged to propogate carp in ponds, ' and a booklet was printed explaining the art and offering hints on best rnethods of cooking the fish such as "carp boiled in beer" and "carp cooked in wine." The commissioners were really sold on the idea. "We are assured," they wrote, "that the carp can be raised on the farm with as much certainty and economy as pigs and poultry." By 1888, some 4,800 ponds had been stocked and over a half-miilion carp had been released in streams and public waters. Though the carp idea went ofi with a bang it lacked lasting qualities. quali-ties. A few years later the commissioners com-missioners agreed "we are of the opinion that we have fish of a better bet-ter quality among our native fish ir. Missouri." Regardless of their lack of success, suc-cess, the early commissioners did gain an insight toward the needs for protecting and restoring wildlife wild-life It was a noble try. A A s Quo7 Population Declining bobwhite population has caused much concern tc sportsmen throughout the broad range of this popular bird. Except in a few localities, quail numbers have declined in spite of reduced ba limits arid curtailed seasons. Conservation officials report, however, the bird population wili bce'n to increase as the soil con servation program expands. The program will increase feeding jrounc1' and cover. |