776 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



the past individual effort at cleaning up in the different counties had 

 met with only partial response or absolute failure. To accomplish the 

 object of the drive with the least possible delay, the press of California 

 was requested to co-operate, and to them is due in a large measure the 

 success of the project. They gave liberally of space to advise the 

 rancher of the voluntary drive, to advise of control methods and of the 

 law under which the county horticultural commissioners are empowered 

 to act. The State Commissioner of Horticulture and the Rodent Control 

 Division are indebted to the press for its assistance. 



A series of colored posters urging the ranchers, both from a financial 

 and a patriotic standpoint, to kill the squirrels were issued and 



Fig. 63. Habitat group, Sierra Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel 

 (Callospermophilus chrysodeirus chrysodeirus). 



distributed by the division to county horticultural commissioners. These 

 were posted by the county inspectors and others interested in the drive. 



As a further means of assuring success to the campaign, the school 

 children were asked to co-operate, rewards of cash prizes being offered 

 by the State Commissioner of Horticulture personally, and by various 

 county chambers of commerce, supervisors and other organizations. 

 Squirrel week, April 29 to May 4, was planned and a proclamation 

 issued by Governor Wm. D. Stephens, calling upon everyone to do his 

 utmost to destroy this pest, "Squirrel Week" had the moral and 

 financial backing of more than thirty organizations, including the State 

 Council of Defense, the county councils of defense, the United States 

 Public Health Service, the Biological Survey, United States Forest 

 Service, the University of California, through the farm advisers and 

 farm bureaus, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, the Insecticide and 

 Fungicide Laboratory of the University, the railroad companies of Cali- 



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