THE GROUND SQUIRRELS OF CALIFORNIA. 



761 



Costs of operations by the horticultural commissioner necessarily 

 carried with them a greater overhead than same would if handled by 

 the landowner himself. Abstracting the land, service of notice, inspec- 

 tion of the degree of infestation, a number of times perhaps, hiring 

 men who may be inefficient or untrustworthy, transportation of crews 

 from place to place, all had to be charged somewhere, consequently the 

 landowner had them to bear if all these procedures were carried out. 

 It has been surprising to note the claims by large farmers that costs 

 to them were exorbitant, yet when properly served with a notice and 

 given opportunity to do their own work, or give good reason why it 

 should be delayed, they absolutely ignored the notice of the commis- 

 sioner. After the bill was presented, the complaint could be heard 



U. S. Public Health Service crew at work killing- ground squirrels by use 

 of carbon disulphid and pump invented by Passed Assistant Surgeon John D. 

 Long, U. S. Public Health Service. (Courtesy State Board of Health.) 



from one end of California to another. In the more progressive coun- 

 ties no anxiety was felt by the commissioners over the collection of bills, 

 for the district attorneys would put the lien proceedings over in a short 

 time. All phases of this all-important food conservation problem rests 

 in the hands of one official, who at the same time can govern, in a large 

 measure, the horticultural prosperity of his county. 



A better plan for the complete control of ground squirrels in Cali- 

 fornia can hardly be wished for than the one made feasible by the 

 horticultural commissioners act. In the first place it is state-wide, and 

 has as a basis economic benefits to every farmer, and rancher 

 in the state. If properly informed there is not a single agriculturist 

 but who must favor the control of this pest for his own profit. Per- 

 sistence in effort, concerted action by all officers, can result in a saving 

 of millions in foodstuffs for California. The greatest state-wide cam- 

 paign to eliminate rodent pests has been started; may the anticipated 

 results be realized within a period of time such as to make the achieve- 

 ment thereof noteworthy. 



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