344 WESTERN GRAZING GROUNDS AND FOREST RANGES 



as great. The result of the campaign was that the ranges 

 were practically cleared of prairie dogs, and with a little 

 watching they have not again obtained any foothold 

 worth mentioning. 



The prescription given here for the preparation and 

 use of the poison for this work has been used all over 

 the West, both by stockmen and the United States For- 

 est Service. With wheat at $1 a bushel and strychnine 

 at the same price per ounce, the cost of this poison by the 

 bushel will be around $5. A bushel of wheat will make 

 about 4,000 doses. 



Poison for Killing Prairie Dogs. For one bushel of 

 wheat take 3 ounces of sulphate of strychnine ; ^ pound 

 of cyanide of potassium ; 1 teaspoonful of oil of anise, 

 and 2 quarts of molasses. (The heavy New Orleans mo- 

 lasses is the best.) Put the strychnine into one can and 

 the cyanide into another; add one quart of water to 

 each ; put over fire and bring to a boil, stirring so that it 

 will dissolve. Care should be taken not to inhale the 

 fumes of the cyanide. The strychnine will seldom dis- 

 solve completely. Pour the two into a can large enough 

 easily to hold two gallons; add two quarts of molasses; 

 put on the fire and bring to a boil. Set off, allow it to 

 cool a few minutes, pour in oil of anise and stir thor- 

 oughly. Then pour the mixture over the wheat a little 

 at a time, stirring the grain as you pour the mixture over 

 it, so that every individual grain will be coated. Set it 

 aside for a couple of hours to dry, put in boxes, barrels 

 or sacks, and use as desired. If it is to be hauled or 

 shipped, use double sacks to avoid danger of leakage. 

 A few quarts of bran or cornmeal scattered in the wheat 

 as it is stirred will keep the grains from sticking to- 

 gether or balling up. 



