CHAPTER XIX. 



THE ARID 

 REGION IS 



NATURALLY 

 FULL OF 

 LIFE 



RODENTS AND BIRDS. 



The farmer must, love his enemies with effectual, 

 death-dealing- dope, but he should recognize, protect and 

 foster his friends. 



Our country of so-called little vegetation sup- 

 ports a remarkably varied plant and animal life. 

 It is not generally known, but is true, that in 

 some States of the West, botanists have classified 

 and put on record more kinds of plants than are 

 found in humid, Eastern States. Bird life is 

 varied and abundant, and there are surprising 

 numbers and kinds of small animals and insects. 

 A country favorable to other kinds of organic 

 life is favorable to man. The farmer must have 

 dominion and to do so he must at times cope 

 with enemies which would destroy his profits or 

 share his crops without compensation. The class 

 of animals most destructive is the small, fur- 

 bearing gnawers, or rodents. Among them he 

 must deal with gophers, ground squirrels and 

 prairie-dogs, chipmunks, moles, mice and rats, 

 skunks, weasels, badgers and rabbits. The irri- 

 gator is bothered with beavers and muskrats. 



