THE AGRICULTUEAL NEWS. 



September 8, 1906. 



HOW TO GET RID OF CATTLE TICKS. 



The followincr circular has been issued by the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry of the U. >S. Department of 

 Agriculture. In his letter of transmittal the Chief of 

 the Bureau writes as follows : — 



'If the southern farmers will but make a united 

 effort alons^ the lines indicated and thus co-operate 

 with the local officials and this Bureau in attacking the 

 tick problem, much headway will be made, and our 

 ultimate aim — namely, the entire eradication of the 

 tick and its direful consequences to southern agriculture 

 — will be within measurable distance of accomplish- 

 ment.' 



The destruction of ticks which are on cattle and 

 premises is the first step in procuring a free cattle trathc. 

 The following suggestions are therefore made for the purpose 

 of assisting owners of small numbers of ticky cattle to get rid 

 of the fever ticks : — 



The term ' ticks ' as hei e used is e.specially applied to 

 the fever tick {Boophilus aiinulaius). These ticks are the 

 more abundant in the latter part of summer and fall, the 

 other kinds being rarelj- present after the month of July. All 

 ticks are harmful, however, and should be destroyed. 



The term ' cattle ' should be understood to include all 

 cows, steers, bulls, heifers, yearlings, calves, and oxen. 



Tick-free premises are those in wliich there have been 

 no ticky animals for nine months previously. 



THE H.iND PICKINi; A'SB GREASING METHOD. 



Cattle and premises may be freed from ticks by hand 

 picking the cattle even though they are allowed to run on 

 ticky premises, provided they are controlled and no other 

 animals are permitted on the premises. The method of hand 

 picking and greasing is most suitable in cases where there are 

 but few animals, or for small herds where the conditions for 

 grazing cannot be changed. The method consists in 

 carefully examining all the cattle daily and picking or 

 .scraping otf the ticks. In this connexion it must be 

 remembered that horses and mules sometimes carry ticks, and 

 therefore these animals must also be thoroughly and 

 frequently examined and the ticks removed. The greatest 

 care must be exercised to collect and destroy all of the ticks 

 removed. It is true that while this process is going on tlie 

 animals will get more ticks on them if the premises are tick}', 

 but by diligently destroying all the larger ticks the sujiply 

 finally gives out on account of the seed ticks having perished. 



Arrange to examine all the cattle and pick the ticks at 

 least every other day. All parts of the animals, especially 

 the insides and back parts of the thighs, should be examined 

 for ticks. If any of the cattle are dithcult to handle, they 

 should be driven into a chute or narrow pen made for the 

 purpose, and whei-e good light is afforded. Ticks can be seen 

 best in sunlight. Ticks must not be thrown on the ground, 

 but should be placed in tin cans or other convenient vessels, 

 and carried to a suitable place and burned or otherwise 

 totally destroyed, or they will lay egg.s, and seed ticks will 

 hatch in countless numbers. Begin now topic/,- ticla, and be 

 srire that not a single tic/,- matures on your cattle after 

 Sejifemhcr 1. As a result of your trouble in observing the 

 precautions herein indicated during this summer and fall, the 

 cattle and premises should be free from ticks by April 1. 



To assist in preventing ticks from getting on cattle, the 

 cattle may be greased at the time of i>icking or as often as 

 may seem to be necessary. The greasy solution is obnoxious 

 to the tick-s, and if the legs and sides of the animals are 



treated in this manner, the ticks will be less apt to crawl on 

 them. 



In greasing cattle, use Beaumont crude petroleum or any 

 crude oil, cotton-seed oil, fish oil, or lard. The following 

 mixture will be found useful for this purpose : One gallon 

 of kerosene, I gallon of cotton-seed oil, and 1 lb. of 

 flowers of sulphur. Any of the above may be applied with 

 a sponge, swab, or brush, and should be thoroughly rubbed 

 on all the lower parts of the cattle, and at least halfway up 

 their bodies. 



THE TIE ROPE OR PICKETIXG METHOn. 



This method is practicable where there are only a few 

 head of cattle. It consists merely in picketing the cattle out 

 on tick-free pasturage. The cattle must be occasionally 

 moved, and the [ilaces where they have been must be carefully 

 avoided for some nine months thereafter. 



THE TWO-FIELD METHOD. 



On or before September 1, remove all cattle (including 

 your stock and calves) from the pasture or range where they 

 are to be kept after March 15 of the following year. Do not 

 permit any cattle. Horses, or mules on such pasture or range 

 during the jieriod indicated. If the premises in which the 

 cattle are placed during this period adjoin the pasture or 

 range where they are to be kept after ilarch 15, it will be 

 necessary to set the dividing fence over some 10 or HO feet 

 on the pasture at the time of changing the cattle in March. 

 Be sure to examine every head of cattle carefulh/ for ticks 

 before clianging them in March. If ticks are present on the 

 cattle at this time and are not destroyed, the pasture will 

 become infected, find the work will have to be done over 

 again. If the ticks are frequently removed by picking, and 

 the cattle are greased immediately after they are taken from 

 the pasture in September, the danger of future infection will 

 be greatly lessened. 



CONCLUSION. 



Any of the above methods may be followed from 

 nud-suminer until the following April. 



Select the method best suited to your conditions and 

 carry it out vigorously. Help your neighbour to do the same. 



Be sure that no other cattle pass over the premise* 

 where your cattle go, unless the other cattle are kept free of 

 ticks. 



Do not let a single tick mature after September 1. 



If every one will do his part in getting rid of ticks, the 

 cattle quarantine will be removed. 



Tobacco Dust as an Insecticide. Tobacco dust 



(the waste pioduct of tobacco factories) is especially valuable 

 as a fertilizer and insecticide for pine-apples, and it is the 

 only safe article that can be used for dropping in the bud 

 or heart of the plante ; my plan is to go over the pine-apple 

 fields, after the suckers or slips have been planted four or 

 five weeks, and drop about a good pinch or two tea-spoonfuls 

 into the heart of each plant; this acts as a splendid stimulant 

 and kills the mealy bug and discourages ants from building 

 their nests at the base of the plants, and whilst it will 

 not kill ants, it will eventually drive them away for the 

 want of mealy bugs to feed upon. The potash and ammonia 

 contained in the dust will stimulate the plants and force them 

 to make a vigorous growth and keep them free from insects 

 and in a healthy condition. (Mr. G. L. Lucas in the Bulletin 

 of the Department of .Agriculture, Jamaica.) 



