364 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



Squirrel control. 



The California ground squirrel (Citcllus leecheyi) plays the double role of pest to 

 the farmer, by destruction of his crops, and a menace to the health of a community, 

 for it carries the flea which inoculates human beings with the organism that causes 

 bubonic plague. Because of these two exceedingly bad characteristics, its eradica- 

 tion has been attempted at various times and in various places. There has never, 

 however, been a well organized movement to rid the entire state of this pest. This 

 statement is made without any thought of minimizing the importance of the splendid 

 work that has been done by the Department of Agriculture, by local boards of 

 supervisors, and by the California Board of Health, which has been active and 

 efficient in cases where the law has empowered it to act. Its jurisdiction has not 

 extended outside of those counties where plague is known to occur, consequently its 

 field of action has been somewhat limited. 



On July 27 an amendment to the law, relating to the county horticultural com- 

 missioners, became effective. Under the terms of the act, as it now stands, it 

 becomes the duty of each horticultural commissioner to eradicate or control squirrels 

 as well as other pests, within the county for which he is serving. This arrangement 

 should result in tremendous benefit to the agriculturist. Being empowered by law 

 to establish districts within a county, and to place inspectors in charge of the work 

 in each district, and being empowered also to eradicate or control such pests upon 

 the failure of the owner or lessee of land to do so, the expense of such eradication 

 or control to become a lien upon the property, the county horticultural commissioner 

 should conduct such a campaign against squirrels as heretofore has been impossible. 



Because of the importance that we believe this phase of the county horticultural 

 commissioners' work will assume from the standpoint of increased production, 

 several of those who have already become actively engaged in the work of eradica- 

 tion have been asked to prepare articles telling of their plans and success up to the 

 present time. These articles are printed in the county horticultural commissioners' 

 section of this number of the bulletin. They indicate what can be done by com- 

 missioners serving in forty-seven counties of the state, which is the total number of 

 counties now employing these officials. With the cooperation of county boards of 

 supervisors and farmers, with the aid and encouragement of the Department of 

 Agriculture, and with the support of the State Board of Health and the State 

 Commissioner of Horticulture, the success of the campaign just begun seems 



assured. 



G. P. W. 



Colorado pointers on ground squirrel control. 



We are printing in this number of the bulletin a short article on the control of a 

 Colorado ground squirrel which is closely related to the common California species. 

 The writer of this article, Mr. W. L. Burnett, has been very successful in the use of 

 a formula which he designates Formula No. 28, in which gelatine is used to coat the 

 grain. He suggests that "the gelatine coated grain should have a decided advantage 

 over all others in California, as it will stand more moisture and still be effective." 



Having been associated with Mr. Burnett, under State Entomologist Dr. C. P. 

 Gillette of Colorado, for a number of years, and knowing of his painstaking work 

 and success in the control of rodents, the writer of this editorial believes that the 

 formula is worthy of a trial by those who are poisoning squirrels in California. 



G. P. W. 



