THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 367 



COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' DEPARTMENT. 



SQUIRREL ERADICATION IN KINGS COUNTY. 

 By FRBD K. Howard, County Horticultural Commissioner, Hanford, California 



That the ground squirrel is the worst crop pest in Kings County is an admitted 

 fact, and more than a year ago the board of supervisors passed a county ordinance 

 [■elating to the control of this post and appointed inspectors to enforce its provisions. 

 This ordinance was apparently too weak in some parts to enable the county to do 

 the work on the property which the owner neglected or refused to clean up. Conse- 

 quently, those who are willing to kill the squirrels on their land became disgusted 

 and declared they would do nothing until all were forced to do the work. When the 

 new law passed the legislature, it was regarded by the supervisors as a solution to 

 the problem and they immediately took the necessary action to place the work in this 

 department. 



Because of the failure of the county ordinance to accomplish the desired results, 

 it has become necessary that our campaign be so thoroughly conducted that our 

 people can have no cause to complain. To accomplish this it seemed advisable to 

 serve notices of eradication on every landowner in the county. These first notices 

 I have termed "Legal Reminders," for, while they are legal in form and give the 

 description of the land, we are not attempting to get legal service on each notice, 

 /. c. delivery of a copy to the person in charge and reading the original to him. We 

 do try, however, to see that each notice gets into the hands of a responsible member of 

 the family, that the purpose of the notice may be explained, the law discussed, and 

 information given regarding the best methods of squirrel control. We feel that this 

 will give our people confidence that things are being done, for each person will know 

 that his neighbor received the same sort of notice and that all are expected to do 

 their duty. 



It also gets this office in personal touch with every one in charge of land and the 

 inspectors make notes of the manner in which they were received. An office record 

 is kept, showing whether or not each notice was served in legal manner and in case 

 it becomes necessary to take action at the expiration of the term of the first notice, 

 a new notice is prepared, allowing not more than five days to accomplish the work. 

 We are very careful that this second notice is absolutely correct and that it is served 

 in exactly the manner provided for in the law. 



Educational Campaign. 



I believe that educational work should have a large place in a campaign of this 

 sort, and to this end we are arranging a series of meetings in schoolhouses and 

 civic Centers throughout the county. At these meetings the new law will be 

 explained and the policy of this office, regarding its enforcement, will be outlined. 

 Methods of preparing and distributing poisoned grain and the use of carbon bisulfid 

 will be explained and demonstrated, and an effort made to organize each community 

 for the purpose of naming a squirrel day, when all in that section will put forth their 

 best efforts to rid their lands of this pest. We are in a position to assure them 

 that all the county property, including roadsides, will receive attention at the same 

 time, and that there will be a representative from this office on the ground during 

 the day to render all possible assistance. An attempt will be made to hold these 

 meetings at about the same time the first notices are being served in each district. 

 The United States Biological Survey will cooperate in this educational campaign. 



The county has purchased a quantity of poisoned grain to be sold at cost to 

 residents of the county, and our slogan is, "Kill Your Squirrels. The county fur- 

 nishes the 'ammunition' at cost and Uncle Sam shows you how to use it." 



We have made a plat book of the county showing divisions of the land and the 

 ownership. These maps are made on especially ruled paper and in thinly settled 

 sections a sheet may show the entire township, while in more thickly populated 

 sections the same sized sheet may show as low as [our seel ions. Each inspector is 

 furnished with a plat book of this sort, covering his particular district. We have 

 found that these plat books are of great assistance and save much time in locating 

 owners of land. This plan of procedure might not be of value to other counties, but 

 we feel it is the best way for us to combat the rancher's worst pest, "His Neighbors' 

 Squirrels." 



