The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-26

crops, ana ne was SAD. Ihoy mulC1pI1eN
BY millions, sweeping across the coun-
try in swarms, eating up all before
them, and threatening ruin to colonial
agriculture, Farms, or ''runs," which
had formerly maintained fifty thousand
sheep would not feed half that number
after the appearance of the rabbits. 1t
became q fight for life and death whether
colOnists were to exterminate the rab.
bits, or the rabbits to drive the col
onists into the sea.
All Australia, as well as New Zea-
land, rose in arms against the ruthless
destroyer. The resources of civiliza-
ton were called out. Rabbit acts were
passed by Parliament. A rabbit con-
ventiOn 1earnedly discussed the matter,
and adopted fifty-nine resolutions,
which alone ought to kill a considera-
BILE number Of the timid enemy Of
sheer fright. Ordinary methods Of
rabbit slaughter were found to be alb
surdly inadequate. One large farmer
who employed one hundred men, with
dogs, and spent five thousand pounds
a year, gives it as his opinion that of
all means of killing rabbits, men and
dogs are the most useless and expen-
sive yet devised. Phosphorized oats is
a much cheaper and more effective way.
1t produces on a single farm a crop
of five hundred dead rabbits per
day, and an average of three
hundred thousand skins for expectation
in the year. Of the various means en-
ployed in this war of determination the
most efficient are trapping and poison
ing. phosphorized oats Apd sulphide of
carbon having been found especially
effective. Latterly some specimens of
the mongoose family have been inn
ported from Colombo. and after being
kept in confinement for some time were
turned out on some large estates in
those districts in Victoria and New
South Wales where the rabbits are most
numerous, and, so far as known, the
result of the experiment is said to be
most favorable.
The cost of this quadrupedal pesti-
lence to the colonies has been simply
immense. The local Parliaments have
spent some millions of dollars fighting
it already. and will probably have to
spend millions more. The cost to pri-
vate individuals has been colossal. But
it has made the trade in rabbit skins
brisk. In 1882 Victoria alone exported
nearly five million, and New Zealand
ten million. The popular hatred of the
little rodent extends even to him as a
pet in Australia. Any man found
keeping a live rabbit is criminal. He
is sent to Jail and reward of five
hundred dollars given to the person
who informs against him.
A RABBIT LAW MURDER.
This led recently to curious and
bloody tragedy. At little village in
New South Wales man who kept a
grOgshop reported to the local police
that another man, a carpenter. had 4
litter of rabbits in his cellar. The
carpenter was summoned and denied
the charge. His house was searched,
and a doe rabbit with batch of young
was found there. He protested his
innocence, but it was without avail.
He was let out on bail for trial. He
went to the grog-shop and accused the
proprietor of having put up base and
sinister job on him. The latter gave
him the lie and ordered him out of the
place. A scuffie followed. and the
carpenter was killed by q stab from his
opponents case-knife.
The grOgsman was now arrested and
the matter thoroughly investigated
The result was to prove that he long
had grudge against his victim. and,
to satisfy it, had trumped up charge
of rabbit-hiding against him. To sup
port this charge he had hired \ tramp
to bring him a pregnant doe rabbit,
and had put her in his victims cellar
The rest of the story has been told. ex'
cept that the conspirator will hang
Cincinnati ENQUIRER