HOW TO GET THE LAST TICK. 19 



As a general rule it is not advisable to release an 

 area that comprises less than a county. If the ideal 

 has been attained and the work carried out 100 per 

 cent perfect, ticks will be eradicated at the end of the 

 season and the county will be in perfect condition 

 for release. However, as this ideal condition is the 

 exception rather than the rule, it is usually necessary 

 to decide whether or not, in the event of release from 

 quarantine, the infestation that remains may be con- 

 trolled without danger to the released area. With 

 a correct 48-G card record, the exact status, as re- 

 gards tick infestation, may be easily determined, the 

 pastures or ranges that will probably show infesta- 

 tion during the following season may be definitely 

 located, and the question of exposure to adjoining 

 free area determined. If all cattle in the county are 

 held under fence, that county may be safely released 

 from quarantine even if a considerable number, up to 

 1 per cent, of the herds have to be held under local 

 or farm quarantine to complete eradication. How- 

 ever, such release should be made only with the dis- 

 tinct understanding and agreement on the part of 

 State and county officials that the infested herds will 

 be held under strict quarantine and that the eradi- 

 cation work on these premises will proceed without 

 interruption until completed. 



The final work of eradicating ticks in infested herds 

 remaining under local quarantine requires careful 

 attention, and this work should always be assigned 

 to an experienced inspector, who is required to in- 

 spect and supervise personally the dipping of all 

 cattle remaining under quarantine. Because ticks 

 were " nearly" eradicated at the close of the season, 

 it is not safe to depend upon inspections to deter- 

 mine the freedom of the herd. Regular dipping 



