8 Yearbook of the Department of At/riculture. 



effecting the organization of farmers on the scale required 

 for a practical coping with or complete elimination of some 

 of the rodents which are most destructive of crops over ex- 

 tensive areas. 



GROUND-SQUIRREL CAMPAIGNS PROMISING RELIEF IN 

 OTHER STATES. 



More recently, in response to bitter complaints and urgent 

 requests for assistance from farmers, campaigns have been 

 undertaken against ground squirrels in Montana, Idaho, and 

 Oregon under plans of cooperation essentially the same as 

 those employed in North Dakota. In these States the or- 

 ganization has centered in farm bureaus and pest clubs, 

 which, under the stimulus and guidance of experts from the 

 Biological Survey and county agricultural agents, have dis- 

 tributed many tons of poisoned grain. This was prepared 

 in accordance with methods which have been proved by 

 extensive investigations and field operations of the Biolog- 

 ical Survey most effective and economical for the various 

 species and seasons. In some instances county commissioners 

 provided the funds necessary to obtain the supply of poison, 

 and this was distributed free to farmers who participated in 

 the campaign. In other cases funds were advanced to pur- 

 chase in quantity the essential poison ingredients. These 

 were then prepared and sold to the cooperating farmers at 

 cost, effecting a considerable saving in price, in addition to 

 furnishing a supply of poison of standard strength and 

 known efficacy against the particular species of rodent in- 

 volved. 



Where it has been impracticable for county commissioners 

 to advance funds for the purpose, farm bureaus and pest 

 clubs have pooled their orders so as to avail themselves of 

 the advantage of the reduced price. The increase in crop 

 production resulting from the extermination of these pests is 

 so direct and obvious that the vigorous and enlarged prose- 

 cution of these campaigns is assured. 



The initial steps have also been taken in Nevada and 

 ( alifornia to place the work of ground-squirrel control upon 

 an organized cooperative basis. 



