ADMINISTRATION 103 



avoid the poison areas can eliminate the losses to a 

 small extent, it has been found that the most ex- 

 peditious remedy is in digging out and destroying 

 the poisonous plants. On the Stanislaus National 

 Forest in Cahfornia, a cattle range of about 14,000 

 acres, containing about 67 acres of larkspur, was 

 cleared of this weed at a cost of about $695. The 

 average loss of cattle in previous years had been 

 about 34 head. Following the eradication of the 

 larkspur the loss was 4 head. The net saving was 

 valued at $1,800. Similar operations are con- 

 ducted on other Forests. 



The work of the destruction of predatory ani- 

 mals has been transferred to the hands of the 

 Bureau of Biological Survey. Formerly special 

 Forest Service hunters were detailed to hunt the 

 animals, and these men used to kill about 4,000 a 

 year. The Biological Survey, however, still fur- 

 nishes traps, ammunition and poison for the destruc- 

 tion of predatory animals to Forest officers, who do 

 this work in connection with their regular duties. 

 Bears, coyotes, mountain lions, lynxes, wildcats, 

 and wolves are the animals that do the most of the 

 damage. What makes the problem a difficult one 

 is that the wolf and the coyote, the two species 



