Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-02
RABBITS II AUSTRALIA.

Who could have foreseen when, quarter
of century ago, the first rabbits were i'm
ported to South Australia as delicacies for
the table, that to-day their determination
would form one Of the most serious prob
lens of the Legislature?
New lea and did not receive this gift
until some years later, when it unfortunately
occurred to a coonist in the southern isle
to turn adrift some rabbits on the bleak
sand hills along the coast OF Iuvercargll.
Accordingly he imported little family of
seven from the old country, and very soon
he and his friends were able to indulge in
some pleasant shooting, and found change
from constant mutton very satisfactory.
But they soon found that their sport
could not keep pace with the increase Of
the rabbits. Soon every blade of grass was
consumed, and then the hungry creatures
nibbled the roots which bound the light
sand hills and prevented them from blow
ing over the arabic land. The farmers be-
gan shooting and trapping with all their
might, but the rabbits had now been intro
duoed to Otago, whence they spread in
every direction, defying all efforts OF the
widely-scattered settlers, who for the most
part live eight or ten miles apart, half
dozen men suthcing to herd hocks which
range over perhaps $4,000 acres. As it
was obvious that these could in no wise
check the ever. increasing evil, it became
necessary to hire men to trap, shoot and
ferret professionally. These trsppers re-
quired the aid of large packs Of dogs, and
It was soon found that the disturbance
thus created among the hocks resulted in
greater mischief than even the ravages of
the rabbit Moreover, the tTappers were
paid at the rate of two pence a skin, but
the market became SO overlooked that
skins sold for less than they cost
When You consider that the rabbit be-
gins to breed at the early age of six
months, and thenceforth has about six lit.
ters a year of from six to eight young, it is
evident that the increase of the species
must necessarily be excessive. 1t has been
reckoned that one ancestral couple, having
attained to the age of four and one-haf
years, may very well see around them
prosperous clan of descendants numbering
upwards OF l,270 600.
Among the many efforts made to subdue
the rabbit pest none has more signally
failed than the introduction Of cats, which,
from .he days Of Marquis of Carrabas
down to the present time, have proved
such successful rabbiters when working on
their own account. In New Zealand, how
ever where 80 many things 60 by contra
ries), they seem to object to sport, and to
prefer a purely domestic life.
In Victoria it was at first hoped that the
native cat, which is a kind OF weasel,
woul have proved a successful ally, but,
strange TO say, It at once fraternized with
the rabbits, aud now these singular friends
are said to share the same burrows. All
manner of remedies have been tried, aud
successfully given up as useless In the face
of 20 widespread an evil. The extent of
the evil could scarcely be credited were it
not for the clear statistics OF the rabbit-nui-
sance committee. Thus, in South Canter.
bury, New Zealand, Messrs. CargiIl and
Anderson state that in the previous year
they had killed 800 600 rabbits by poison,
and in the following spring their sheep run
was Just as deeply peopled by them as ever
Mr.. Kitchen says that he kept nearly 100
men working IS rabbit-killers for four
months, and actually cleared his land.
Very soon, however, newcomers arrived
and entered into possession of this vacant
tract, and now they are worse than ever.
Still the plague spreads, and the whole
land is more or less infested with the pest,
and many districts are reduced to mere
warrens. Many sheep farmers have been
forced to abandon runs of from Is 600 to
10000 acres. r. Campbell has been com
PEELED to abandon 250, 600 acres In one
wear he expended CO, 600 in endeayors to
clear about half this laud Mr.. Reeves re.
ports having killed 10000 rabbits within
twelve months.
In ISIS the total number of sheep in
New zealand was upward of $4,000 COO,
but so terrible have been the ravages of
these feeble people that the official re-
turns for 1850 and lSSl show a diminution
of :. 600 coo in the number Of sheep, and
the last quarter Of 1852 shows falling of
Of 10 per cent. IN the export Of wool as
compared with the previous year.
How one name poison may be another
mans meat has been buudantly shown In
Australia, where several enterprising col
onists have established rabbit preserving
factories on so large a scale that they may
we'll be described as rabbit eXterminators.
IN Western Victoria there are two such
factories-ole at Colac and another at
Camuerdown. The returns OF the former
for one week were Is. 600 pairs Of rabbits,
while the latter received 10000. Thus,
nearly 90 600 rabbits were disposed Of in
one week by these two establishments.
\ very important ally has, however now
been secured, and great hopes are enter
tanned that is may prove more success
ful rahbjt.destroyer than any hitherto
thought of. This is the Indian mOngoose
lHerpss.es gviseus), which in the last ten
wears has done such good service in ia.
usics as a wholesale rat-k,ller. The rats,
attracted by toe sugar fields, had III
creased in such multitudes as to threaten
the dissolution of that fertile isle. 1t oc'
CURED to one of the planters to introduce
this notorious ratter, and the results have
surpassed his highest hopes. These active
little creatures, resembling large te.rets
multiplied with extraordinary velocity
and wsged a deadly war OF extermina
ton against the rats. 1t Is hoped that
they may prove equally ethcacious in tbs
destruction of rabbits, so the New Z "a
land and Australian Governments have
aprl ed TO the Government of India for
supply Of mongooses. These are accord
ingly being collected in Bengal and SEN
TO the Geological Gardens IN Calcutta
whence, when a hundred couples hay'
been secured, they will be dispatched t,
their new homes. where we may well wisi
them success ICasselrs Magazine,
TUNSELING A volcano 1t is proposed
to drive = tunnel into the crater OF Popo
catapetl, and TO build from the mouth O
the tunnel 6 railroad to connect with tn
Jntefo 3eanic Railroad at Amecsmeca. Tht
parties who are in negotiation for the prop
erty with the owner of the volcano, Gen
Casper Sanches Oches, are said to be
rich American house. The representative
OF the house visited the volcano with tn,
French engineer, Charles Rosy. a con
tract is said to have been made for the ex
pgtatioa of So 600 tons of sulphur yea
at least. 1t is also proposed to establish 4
factory OF sulphuric acid for use here il
Mexico, selling it at 81 a quintal of 65
degrees strength. These products of Pc
po5atspetl will add largely to the business
of the Interooeanic Railroad II Mexican
Fi1ancier.