THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICULTURE 



Vol. VII NOVEMBER-DECEMBER, 1918 Nos. 11-12 



FOREWORD. 



The engrossing question in the public mind today — that of recon- 

 struction — must be studied closely in the United States with a view to 

 the immediate prevention of industrial demoralization and social dis- 

 tress, which may react, unfortunately, to a greater or lesser degree, 

 as the truly normal penalty of extraordinary and extended exertion 

 incidental to the great war. 



No less an event than the colossal world conflict, which has expired 

 by virtue of its very intensity, could have demonstrated so forcibly the 

 absolute dependence of all phases of industrial life upon the single 

 industry — agriculture. 



And industry, we know, is the lif eblood of all people and of all nations ! 



Thus it has remained for this war strongly to throw the light of 

 universal recognition upon agriculture and its associated activities, as 

 the one, primal, all-essential requisite in the successful prosecution of 

 any enterprise, be it war or peace. 



With the increased emphasis placed upon the promotion of agriculture 

 as a ''munition of war," there has appeared a correspondingly grave 

 realization of the necessity of further reducing those losses which under 

 certain conditions with adequate means for repression may be made 

 so largely preventable. 



The vast economic loss visited upon the agricultural interests of 

 California by rodents was keenly appreciated by the State Commissioner 

 of Horticulture and vested by virtue of his office with the duty "to 

 promote and protect the plant industry of the state/' he sought and 

 obtained the deep interest and the active support of Governor Wm. D. 

 Stephens and the members of the California State Board of Control. 

 These gentlemen became fully convinced of the gravity of the situation, 

 by the indisputable array of facts and figures testifying to the ravages 

 of these destructive rodents and gave the support and provided the 

 means needed to inaugurate an energetic state-wide campaign to control 

 the rodent pests. For the purpose of executing the measures involved 

 in this campaign, the State Commissioner of Horticulture organized 

 the Division of Rodent Control, which was to operate under his direct 

 supervision. 



An early step in the state-wide movement for the destruction of rodent 

 pests was educational campaigns. The farmers of the state already 

 were thoroughly familiar with the losses caused by rodents. There was 

 need, however, for education as to the best methods of control and to 

 bring home to every land owner the fact that not he alone but his 

 neighbors on all sides were engaging in the same operation at the same 

 time. 



While there has been available in the past information of more or 

 less value dealing with the life histories, habits and methods of control 



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