662 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

 KOUEMTS IN CONNECTION WITH REFORESTATION. 



The de.stniction of .small rodents like mice, gophers, and groimd 

 squirrels in and near tracts which are to be reforested proves to be 

 a necessary corollary to this important work of the Forest Service, 

 as otherwise the seeds are dug up and eaten or carried away almost 

 as soon as planted. Under these circumstances the cost of reforesta- 

 tion is almost prohibitive of the work. Numerous experiments were 

 tried during the year for the purpose of determining by what means 

 and at what time of year the destruction of these mischievous rodents 

 can best and most cheaply be etfected. It was found that in the fall, 

 when green feed (especially berries) is abundant, the putting out of 

 poisoned bait avails little, as it is either untouched or is carried 

 away and "cached" for later consumption. Hence, even when the 

 actual planting is planned for fall, the destruction of rodents to be 

 effective must be done in spring or early summer. Several poison- 

 ing experiments were carried on in the Cochetopa Forest to demon- 

 strate the practicability of destroying the seed-eating rodents over 

 tracts selected for reforestation. Four widely separated areas were 

 successfully treated, so that a good stand of Douglas fir, lodgepole 

 pine, and yellow pine was secured. Three baits were used: (1) 

 Cracklings treated with j^owdered strychnine, (2) wheat coated with 

 tallow and strychnine, and (3) oats treated with starch and strych- 

 nine. The tallow-coated grain was found effective when the baits 

 were exposed to rain, while the starch-coated and cracklings prepa- 

 rations were effective when placed under logs and other protected 

 places. Similar experiments were carried on also in the Cabinet and 

 Lo Lo Forests of Montana. 



RELATION OF NATIVE MAMMALS TO SPOTTED FEVER. 



For the past two years investigations have been made by the Bio- 

 logical Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of Entomology and 

 the agricultural experiment station of Montana with a view to ascer- 

 taining the particular species of wild mammals which act as hosts of 

 the ticks that are believed to be directly responsible for the transmis- 

 sion of spotted fever. Among other important facts brought out by 

 the investigations, it has been definitely ascertained that the fever 

 ticks in the two younger stages live almost wholly on small native 

 rodents. As the same rodents are responsible for extensive damage 

 to crops in Montana and elsewhere, there are thus two important rea- 

 j;ons for attempting their extermination, at least in the near vicinity 

 of ranches. Here the ticks are readily transmitted to domestic ani- 

 mals, upon which they pass the later stages of their existence, when 

 they are capable of transmitting the fever to human beings. A bulle- 

 tin has been prepared, therefore, and distributed largely in Montana, 

 describing the methods of poisoning and trapping rodents which have 

 proved most efficacious in destroying these animals. 



MOLES. 



Though small and rarely seen because of its underground life, the 

 mole is the subject of frequent and anxious inquiry on the part of 

 farmers and others to whom the mammal is obnoxious chiefly because 



