CHAPTER XIX. 



Rodents and Bieds. 



The farmer must love Us enemies with effectual, 

 death-dealinir dope, but lie should recog'iiize, protect and 

 foster his friends. 



THE ASID 

 REQIOIT IS 

 NATTJBAI^IiT 

 TVI.I. OF 

 UFE 



Our country of so-oalled 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 witt 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. 



