AMERICAN STOCK LOSSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18298, 15 January 1923, Page 3

AMERICAN STOCK LOSSES.

! ' : : Prairie dogs, ground squirrels, iack'rabSli?. rats, mice, and other rodents cause ~ -•r.ormous annual losses of grass- and crop' in 1.U.5.A., but systematic,••; organised, and co-operative ~ effort; ;*j ah downers' tand "Government:--' are; reducing 'the - extent ,of the; depredations, Burin? ;1921X;18,33^851 acres of .agricultural and range land were. treated for ' the first time .-with (poisoned' grain baits, and 4.402,662 acres, wei'e given a second treatment to :"" complete ' eradicat.ofi,'work.Started in 1920.and in'.'previous years, ; During-1920 and '; 1921; says, . the Producer, State arid; private- cb-operatoi's have expended; in tin's way over £300,000. Last year over 100,000 farmers and stockmen joined in poisoning 'operations, in which 1235 • tons -of poisoned' grain were prepared; : and distributed- under the "direct. [tion'of the bUsreau experts, Since "the i beginning -' of this systematically:'organised' I work in '1916, 77,827,789 acres of federal, i Statu, and private lands have-been treated I and largely cleared of the rodent destroyI ers, of cropß and range■ grasses. -.-.-,:■::. ■.- ■ —■■ I i' : -']"rrr;'