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Poisoned Oats Used To Kill Farm Pests.

Three Million Prairie Dogs are Wiped Out in 20 Counties in Colorado.

By Michael F. Dacey, International News Service, Staff Correspondent

Denver, Nov. 3-Sixty tons of poison oats, scattered over farm lands in twenty Colorado counties, has resulted in the distruction of three million prairie dogs, with a saving estimated at approximately $500,000 to farmers of the state, according to Joseph Keyes, director of rodent control of the United States Biological Survey.

The work of rodent extermination will be extended into thirty counties of the state next year, and will include pocket gophers as well as prairie dogs, Keyes said.

It is generally admitted that it costs one dollar a year to feed one prairie dog,” Keyes said, “which would make this year’s campaign represent a saving of $3,000,000 to the state of Colorado, minus the trivial cost of the poison potion. However, in our official report, which probably errs a little on the side of conservatism, it will be said that the poisoning of the 3,000,000 prairie dogs prevented destruction of crops and damage to agriculture to the extent of $5000,000.

Retirement into hibernation this month of the prairie dog has brought about a period of inactivity in the work of extermination, during which time plans will be completed for continuing and extending the work next year.

The war on the pocket gopher, which is active the year round, and causes much damage by tunneling the soil, will consist chiefly of placing a pipe through the soil into his tunnel and dropping a piece of poisoned vegetable into it.

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