Show pa oi int s kij RID BID FARM OF RODENT PESTS big move towards increased crop I 1 production and food conservation work not seen prepared by the united states department of agriculture loss ot of grain damage to orchard trees and injury to truck and field crops caused by small animals anima Is such as rats mice rabbits squirrels etc amounts to a total of millions of dollars to the farmers of the united states each year these animals each doing its part usually work unseen to the farmer and too frequently cause little or no concern to rid the farm ot of these pests would be a big move towards increased crop production and food conservation how to prevent this destruction has been made a study of the bureau ot of biological survey ot of the united states department ot of agriculture la in north dakota for example the bureau conducted an organized campaign against ground squirrels in co V 12 44 1 fj T I 1 irk f i AIR V V 41 j ww W w K apple tree injured by rabbits note how bark has been eaten operation with the state extension service the squirrels on about acres were poisoned and practically exterminated th the result wai was a saving in the years crops valued at more than the squirrels were destroyed by poisoned bait distributed tri buted near their runs and feeding places at a cost including labor of from 5 to 7 cents per acre campaigns along the same lines under project agreements have been started in montana idaho and oregon in operation cooperation co with state extension services and are being planned for other states demonstrations of methods have been made on a large scale in nevada and california where increased interest Is being developed in organizing systematic campaigns for the extermination of ground squirrels serious depredations by jack rabbits upon wheat barley oats alfalfa and other growing crops and stacked hay necessitate continued efforts for their control in western and southwestern states in a single county in III oregon about were poisoned at a cost ot of less than one tenth of a cent each in many of the eastern and central states the cottontail rabbits have done considerable damage in orchards and on grain farms in new york state the european hare bare was introduced some years ago has increased and Is spreading to adjoining states and Is likewise doing extensive damage to orchards measures are being taken to control these pests prairie dogs have been a serious menace to many farmers in the west and southwest the bureau has haa conducted successful campaigns to destroy them in some of their tests as many as aa 30 dead prairie dogs have been counted in an alfalfa field within 24 hours after distributing grain poisoned with only I 1 ounce of strychnine the success of the work of the bureau has induced extensive operation cooperation co by farmers and stockmen stoc kmen and their work hits has resulted in a large saving in growing crops and good yields have been secured on large areas where in many cases the prairie dog infestation has baa previously rendered the production of crops crop s an almost hopeless undertaking |