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population. Grazing on a commercial scale is being carried on in 

 some cases and in others animals are allowed at large and receive 

 practically no attention to free them from ticks. Dipping is hardly- 

 practicable, as they cannot be collected sujSiciently frequently. Further 

 legislation is required to keep the animals off the tick-infested area 

 durmg the tick season. Commercial grazing along the county roads 

 and in unfenced fields should be prohibited in localities where ticks 

 are present. It is estimated that the expenses of the eradication 

 work during the next two years will be approximately £1,700. 



Pakker (R. K.). Report of Tick Control Operations in the Bitter Root 

 Valley during the Season of 1918 ; Facts in Connection therewith ; 

 Recommendations for the further Prosecution of the Work. — 3rd 



Bienn. Rept. Montana State Bd. Entom., 1917-1918 ; Helena, 15th 

 December 1918, pp. 25-40. [Received 7th March 1919.] 



The eradication measures against Dermacentor vennstus in Bitter Root 

 Valley in 1918 may be summarised as squirrel killmg, dipping, grazing, 

 enforcement of quarantine and educational work. The poison used for 

 ground squirrels during the spring consisted of 5 U.S. bushels groats, 

 8 oz. baking soda, 20 oz. strychnine alkaloid, 5 U.S. pints salt, 12 U.S. 

 quarts water, 5 lb. gloss starch, 1| oz. saccharine, 1 U.S. quart syrup. 

 This proved very successful but expensive, and later, excellent results 

 were obtained from 8 U.S. quarts crushed oats, 1 oz. sodium bicarbonate, 

 1 teaspoonful saccharine, 1 oz. strychnine, 1-2 lb. starch and 3-4 U.S. 

 quarts water. The greatest drawback to success in this work 

 is the land owned by non-residents, which is mostly unoccupied and 

 largely unfenced ; such land receives no attention as regards squirrel 

 destruction and comprises the most dangerous tick areas. While 

 early spring is the most important time for poisoning, there is great 

 advantage in distributing poison occasionally as long as ground 

 squirrels are about. With regard to dipping, it was considered 

 advisable to discontinue compulsory dipping, and this was done, not 

 because the practice was considered unreliable in tick eradication, 

 but because of its incompatibility with certain existing conditions. 

 Wherever dipping was possible, vats were filled and the solution tested 

 and kept at proper strength by the State, assistance for dipping being 

 furnished as far as possible, while the residents were responsible for 

 getting their animals to and from the vats. 



An attempt was made to get as many grazing animals as possible 

 out of the tick-infested areas during the season of adult tick activity, 

 from early spring to the beginning of July. When milk cows and 

 working horses graze within fenced areas the animals should be freed 

 from ticks by hand at frequent intervals and the land thoroughly 

 poisoned for ground squirrels once each season. The grazing of animals 

 on unfenced land lying between the farms and mountains is a dangerous 

 practice, and grazing should be restricted until such land has been 

 cleared up by systematic squirrel destruction. Roadside grazing 

 should be prohibited or controlled. The placing of all animals possible 

 on the forest ranges during the season of adult tick activity is con- 

 sidered most desirable. Quarantine regulations have been enforced 

 as far as possible. Burning, which is regarded by many farmers as 

 a valuable remedv for ticks, cannot be considered as anything more 



