18 EFFECTS OF TICK ERADICATION. 
Adams County was one of the pioneer counties of Mississippi in 
tick eradication. The county is composed of hill lands and large 
areas of lowlands adjacent to creeks or the river, which furnish ex- 
cellent pastures for live stock. This county was damaged by the boll 
weevil to a greater extent than any other county in Mississippi. 
When the weevils appeared in large numbers the farmers became de- 
moralized and immediately discontinued the credit system in supply- 
ing the negro labor. The result was that most of the laborers left the 
county for the delta lands north of there or the rice fields of Arkansas. 
The cotton yield dropped from 25,000 bales to about 1.100. The land 
was permitted to lie idle. In 1912, however, the overflow of the im- 
mense Louisiana territory by the Mississippi River forced the plant- 
ers to ship thousands of cattle to Natchez to be pastured until after 
the water went down. These cattle came in by boatloads, covered 
with ticks and so poor they could hardly be driven to the pastures. 
All of them were dipped on arrival and every two weeks thereafter 
while they were in Adams County. All were dipped before going 
back to Louisiana, so they were free of ticks when they arrived on 
the Louisiana plantations. The overflow had drowned the ticks on 
these plantations, as most of the land was submerged from 1 to T 
weeks. The result was that the cattle fattened to a greater extent 
that fall and passed through the winter in better shape than can be 
remembered by the oldest inhabitants. In commenting on this, Mr. 
R. L. Parker, of Xatchez, Miss., a large buyer of cattle, made the fol- 
lowing statements : 
In the spring of 1912 cattle were brought into Natchez by the thousands from 
the overflowed districts of Louisiana. These cattle were so poor and weak that 
they sold very cheap, some for little over 2 cents a pound, or some whole herds 
of cattle for $10 around, because the loss from them would be heavy, due to 
their emaciated condition. Many were so weak that they gave out and died in 
the road while being taken to pasture. All were dipped on arrival and con- 
tinuously during the time they remained in Adams County, and those which 
were returned to Louisiana were free of ticks. The plantations were freed of 
ticks because of the long inundation. The result was that the cattle fattened 
rapidly and wintered in fine shape. 
This spring (April. 1913) when these same cattle were brought out of the low- 
hinds because of the overflow they arrived in Xatchez fatter than any cattle I 
had ever seen come out of Tensas or Concordia Parishes at any time of the year. 
They looked so well that few of the owners would sell, and even then only at 
prices ranging from 5 cents a pound upward. Some of these native cows I 
purchased at $50 a head for beef. This difference in price for the two years 
1912 and 1913 was due to the condition of the cattle, and the difference in the 
condition was due almost entirely to the absence of ticks from the pastures, 
although the mild winter of course had some influence. 
If the cattlemen in the alluvial lands of Mississippi and Louisiana will get 
rid of the ticks, there is no section of the country which can grow cattle cheaper 
or with greater profit. The past two seasons have demonstrated most clearly 
