4 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION BITLLETIN 504 



In the areas of the state where research is being conducted, the evidence 

 points out that range lands which liave been very heavily utilized are the 

 first to show the effects of drought b\- a shift in vegetation from perennial 

 range grasses to broad-leafed forbs and annual grasses which are conduci\'e 

 to a buildup of some grasshopi3er species. If we are entering a period of 

 drv- \ears, all of the available evidence indicates that we can expect rather 

 rapid buildups of range 'hoppers in those areas where the range is now in 

 a semidepleted condition. 



The problem of grain contamination both at terminal elevators and in 

 farm storage has become very serious. Therefore, this office, in co-operation 

 with the Agricultural Experiment Station, has conducted an investigation 

 during the last year which quantitatively illustrates the seriousness of such 

 contamination. In all, al)out 40 elevators in the triangle area have been 

 inspected for contamination. Wherever possible samples were taken from 

 four areas in each elevator: the boot or pit. main floor deck, top surface of 

 the bins, and deck of the cupola. In 36 of the 39 samples taken from the 

 boot, evidence of mouse contamination was present. In a good many cases, 

 mouse contamination is not always evidenced in the form of droppings but 

 is shown by the presence of mouse hairs. Mouse hairs, per 8-ovmce sample, 

 varied from none to as many as 224; and mouse droppings from none to 

 560 per 8-ounce sample. In all of the samples the onl\' evidence of insect 

 contamination was found in the boot. In three elevators granary weevils 

 were or had been present, and moth cocoons were found in five others. 

 Dermestids were found in four cases. Samples from the deck of the cupola 

 were very heavib- contaminated with mouse hairs. Only two of the samples 

 were uncontaminated by mouse hairs or other foreign material. In addition 

 to mouse contamination, bird droppings were encountered in II of the 

 deck samples. As many as 836 whole bird droppings were counted in one 

 8-ounce sample. Ten out of 36 samples from the top of the bins showed 

 evidence of mouse contamination. Many of the top samples had no other 

 foreign particles in them than grasshopper fragments, which are virtualh' 

 Tuiavoidable. Tn ;>11 but fcvr samples taken from the main floor surface, 

 mouse hairs or droppings or both were present. Bird droppings and feathers 

 were likewise frequently encoimtered. 



In addition to the work done in commercial elevators, 49 faim storage 

 facilities in the triangle area were also sampled. These samples were taken 

 from the surface area of the bin. Thirty-one samples out of the 49 showed 

 var\'ing degrees of mouse contamination from as low as a single hair to 

 as many as 277 mouse droppings per pound. Fifteen of the 49 samples 

 showed evidence of bird contamination. The type of storage, i.e., whether 

 wooden or steel, appears to be of little consequence since poorly maintained 

 steel storage is often as highly contaminated as wooden bins. The data 

 indicate and observations corroborate the fact that very little progress has 

 been made in inspiring the storer to take better care of his grain. In view 

 of this situation, an attempt will be made to assimilate all the pertinent 



