The Government

I asked Evelyn if government programs, and the passage of federal laws, had affected their operation.

“Well, to old timers and people that were raised in open country, they resented all that. But I’ve always recognized what land management means to this country, ‘cause they were ruining it. They –just destroyin’ it. That area where we bought that ranch had been sheeped out and stuff, and I lived there, it was 50 years before that sand hill got enough grass, bushes on it and brush – 50 years – to make a showing. ‘Cause that used to be a really bare sand hill. But gradually over the years, with land management … It’s a fragile country. You can not do that. I’m a land-management fan. Some of it I think was kind of poorly handled, but it still was the right idea. Generally speaking, it was a fine idea.

“Before that time, any time a calf or a cow got an open wound or something, the flies would lay eggs in there and there’d be worms in there, screw worms. Yeah, so you couldn’t brand or dehorn. You branded early, or you waited until after it frosted, because if you didn’t, well, then they’d get screw worms. And on that river, they could get screw worms, if they’d get scratched you know, and get a bloody place, and you had to ride all the time you know and watch for it. ‘Cause it would kill cattle. They’d just eat the – see in the Civil War, they used screw worms to clean out wounds. They’d have these flies to lay eggs on these wounds, and they’d clean all the dead flesh out of it, and they’d take the flies out, and that wound would heal. But if you have it on an animal and they run out of dead flesh, they keep on eating. So they developed this sterile fly program, which was WONDERFUL. See, you had screw worms all the way in Florida, all the way through the south, and Texas, and all the way to South America, and Mexico. Lost lots of cattle to screw worms. Couldn’t have Hereford cattle at all. ‘Cause they were too fragile. And they started dropping those sterile flies, pretty soon we had no more screw worms. Oh, it was a wonderful program. And uh, particularly for people who live in the south. And on that river, deer would get ‘em, and anything that had a bloody spot would get screw worms, and it would kill it. So, it took a few years. And every time after that, gradually, if you’d find an animal with screw worms, you’d put it, they’d give you a little bottle with an address on it, and you’d mail it in, and the location, and they’d come drop a few more of those sterile flies. And I haven’t heard of screw worms in a long time.

And SCS – we built dirt tanks, and did erosion work, and Dean bought a Caterpillar and helped some people, get rid of … You know, when they were taking – which was not a good program, I don’t think – taking the cedar trees out, you know. I didn’t care for that program (chaining)."