The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-07-15
New Zealand Pests.


New Zealand has suffered grievously
from the rayages of these gentlest of furry
foes. About twenty years ago a colonist
brought seven rabbits from the old country
to his new home at Invefcargill in the
southern isle. 1t was thought that to turn
these adrift on the bleak sand-hills along
the coast could not fail to prove benefit
to the colony. For some years this an
swered capitally, and the colonists enjoyed
excellent shooting on the links (as such a
seaboard Is called in Scotland). But ere
long the rabbits increased to such an extent
that they cropped every blade of grass and
even devoured the roots, which alone bound
the light sand-hills and prevented them
from blowing over the better soil inland
Very soon this evil occurred, and the land
was greatly injured Then the farmers on
the seacoast began shooting and trapping
in earnest; but BY this time some more rab-
bits had been imported to 0tago, and from
these two centres the mischief rapidly
spread. Considering that each rabbit breeds
eight times year, and produces an average
of six young at each litter, il Is easy to per-
ceiye how rapid must be their increase
On the other hand, their human foes are
few, the settlers in the interior living eight
or ten mikes spart--a lonely life, IN truth,
where perhaps half dosen men herd the
fiocks which range over 10000 acres Ii
became evident that these shepherds could
never check the progress OF the owl with
out assistance, 30 men were hired TO ferret,
trap, shoot or worry the invaders. These
men travelled With large packs Of dogs,
numbering from one to two dozen, They
were paid at the rate of two.penee skin.
II was, however, soon found that the sale
Of skins fetched less than they cost, while
the presence Of strange dogs disturbed the
sheep, and often resulted in their being
worried. The sheep-runs being in general
tracts Of Crown land, merely Feated by the
farmer for limited term Of years for the
purpose Of rearing stock, Il was found in
many cases not 70 be worth the expense of
attempting TO cope With the mischief. One
cure after another was tried, such as stop
ping the burrows with cotton waste saturated
IN bisulphide Of carbon, but all were sue.
cessiyely given up IS aselss- efforts to meet
10 widespread an evil In many cases il
WIS feund that the land could no longer
support one-foarth Of its former number Of
shsep. 50 the holders were absolutely eom-
PEELED 10 throw up their leases and abandon
their runs. The extent Of the ravages
could hardly be credited were i not for the
ens-and-dEy statistics ogthe Rabbit Nuisance
Committee / may qaose few items from
the evidence Of many gentlemen owning
large sheep runs in the provinces of 0tagO
and South Canterbury, Many begin BY
stating how inereduloss they we're At first
that rabbits would even take 10 the new
country sufficiently 10 afford. them sport
All too quickly their eyes were opened.
For instance. in South Canterbury, Messrs.
Carvill and Anderson killed 500, 900 rab-
bits by poison a year ago, but ia the fol-
lowing spring their sheep-run was just as
densely peopled BY them as though not one
had perished. Mr. Kitchen states that he
kept nearly hundred men working as rab-
bit-killers for four months and succeeded
in clearing bis land. Nov they are worse
than ever. Mr.. Rees says that ho killed
lSe, 900 last year, and bis empl0yeF, Mr..
n. Campbell, expendeded So 900 inone year
In attempting TO keep down the pest on
his runs IL l6S, 900 acres. Still the plague
spreads. and the whole land from Waitaki
10 Foyeaux Strait Is more or las infested
with rabbits. Many districts are just a
vast warren. on which ii is impossible TO
keep sheep at all Mr. r. Campbell alone
has been compelled 70 abandon POI, 1000
acres. Chiefly in Southland and Wallace
counties. and on the North Maria Lake and
Greensboro Valley several other farmers
have also been forced TO abandon runs ot
from $4,000 10 10000 acres Many es-
tales, though less seriously injured than
these, have still suffered 80 greatly that
their value Is immensely deteriorsted.
Eight runs, which formerly. brought in a
rental Of El0OO per annum, now let for
el7O. The Burwood Run Is instaneed a.
one which used 70 carry 50, 1000 sheep. but
now barely provides food for $4,000. In
1873 the total number Of sheep in the col
ony was upward of Ia, 900 900; in 1879 it
was REDUCED to about IL soc, 600, and this
decrease, though now considerably checked,
has continued. The loss on the exports Of
wool and taIlow is estimated a. ea00, 600
per annum, On the other hand, in 1879
there wese exported from New Zealand
upward of 5000, 900 rabbit skins-value
f46, 759--aad in the following year up
ward Of T,000, 900 rabbit skins sold for
f68,9T6.