The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1860-04-18
Written for the North Iowa Times.
GOphcrs.
UOVnCFNs
GARyAvILLo, April 10th, 1860.

GARSAvILLO, April 10th, 1861.
ELISHA IIuRLBrr-Dear Sir: notice in
The columns of the North Iowa Times, your
letter addressed to me, on the subject OF
Gophers, and cheertuly comply with your
request, through the same paper.
Sixteen years ago the present month, !
purchased a lot Of apple trees, together with
a number of fine English cherry trees.
st them out very carefully; they made
rapid growth and began to think in a few
years should have plenty Of fruit.
But soon, all my hopes were blasted one
morning | bcheld one Of my finest and best
cherry trees laid flat upon the ground,
suawed off by gopher. This was my first
loss, and it gricved me very much. Soon
another followed, and by this time ] began
to devise means to save the rest. | laid my
case before an old pioneer by the name Of
Holmes. He advised me to trap the gen
tlcmcn," and very kindly volunteered his
services, to instruct me.
He ol,cncd the hole, and made little cav
ity corresponding to the size Of the trap !;
in lis cavity he placed the trap baited with
a small piece of potato; over the cavity he
placed board with an inch and q half hole
bored through the center, sufficient to admit
light into the cavity, carefully closing up
every place with loose dirt except the hole
| in the center of the board In the course
of an hour from the time the trap was set
the gopher was caught. l followed up his
instructions and saved the balance of my
trees. -
The same gentleman also informed me
that could poison them with strychninc,
with great success during the months of
March, April and May.
His plan was to place little of the poi
son in small piece of potato, carrot, beet,
or pumpkin seed, open the hole, and dcpos-
tic the same in it, and in nine cases out Of
ten, the gopher is killed; after those months
the chances for killing him becomes less
and less. .,...r :. .,....
During these months the gopher either
cats everything he can find in the shape of
vegetables, or carries it to the young, and
in this manner the whole progeny are often
destroyed. After these months he begins
to horde for winter, and is almost certain to
carry the potato with the poison in it, to his
pile, where it remains perhaps fer months
untouched, until the poison is weakened by
being in the ground, and only inflicts upon
"the gentleman slight indiposition for a
few days. .a.-. .... ...... .,...
have followed both plans with success,
and by so doing saved my trees from their
ravagcs.
Once clear them in this way from the or
chard and it will be many years, before
they will again return.
There arc but few of these animals upon
given piece of ground, though THEN work
| would Lad one to believe there are hundreds
OF them.
A boy who understands the art of catch
ing them will in few days, with one or
more small steel traps, clear every gopher
from Il tract Of ten acres.
AT this season of the year strychnine is
the most effectual, because the gopher will
carry the vegetable containing it to his
young, and thus a whole family of them
ar. destroyed. But strychninc should, in
all cases, be used or handled by men, and
with great deal of care in ord,r to prevent
accidents to persons.
In following these methods | have rid
my orchard and grounds Of these destruct-
i've animals, and with very little trouble or
expense to myself. respectfully yours,
-----.---. SAM'L MURDOCH.