262 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



by house rats and mice and the menace to health due to their presence. 

 From data recently assembled it is estimated that the losses occa- 

 sioned by house rats exceed $200,000,000 annually in the United 

 States. 



Through bulletins, posters, magazines, and other avenues of the 

 press, facts regarding the nature and extent of losses, and simple but 

 effectual methods of protecting buildings, poultry, and other prop- 

 erty from their depredations, were widely published. Demonstra- 

 tions were given of methods of poisoning and trapping the animals, 

 and plans for community organization were presented and discussed. 

 As a result of this publicity, extended State campaigns have been 

 undertaken in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, and other States 

 are preparing to join in the work. In addition, many local campaigns 

 were organized. 



In order to control the rat pest in the trenches and about the great 

 Army stores one of the experts of the bureau was commissioned in 

 the Sanitary Corps and sent to France in the spring to take charge 

 of this work. 



MOUNTAIN BEAVERS. 



Investigations have been conducted to complete the study of the 

 habits of the mountain beaver, or sewellel, a rodent living in the 

 humid region of the northwest coast. With the development of agri- 

 culture it is becoming seriously injurious to crops, particularly to 

 small fruits and market products. Demonstrations have been made 

 in various localities for the control of these pests. 



MOLES. 



Following the demonstrations by the bureau of the market possi- 

 bilities of skins of the large Townsend mole, which is extremely 

 abundant in the northwestern coast region, the demand for its fur 

 has steadily increased and the prices for prime skins have advanced 

 accordingly. This animal has been a serious farm pest in western 

 "Washington, Oregon, and northern California. Successful methods 

 of trapping it have been devised by the bureau and have been demon- 

 strated by its representatives cooperating with the State extension 

 services and agricultural agencies in Oregon and Washington. Great 

 interest is being shown in the development of measures for the con- 

 trol of these animals, and successful boys' and girls' mole clubs have 

 been organized. As a result many thousands of these animals have 

 been killed and their skins marketed at prices which afford a fair 

 profit for the work, thus paying for the cost of ridding lands of a 

 pest. 



DOMESTIC RABBITS. 



The Belgian hare, or domestic rabbit, as it is commonly known, 

 has long been a prolific producer of meat and fur in France, Belgium, 

 Holland, England, and other parts of Europe. Under ordinary 

 conditions the rearing of domestic rabbits for home consumption and 

 market will give a quick and economical supply of meat, and at the 

 same time produce fur of much value for making garments and for 

 other manufactures. Much interest has been aroused by bulletins 

 and other publicity matter to encourage the growing of these animals 



