New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-25
UHEEE THE SKUNK is USEFUL.
uOPGRowERs FIND MS SERVICES As GRUB
DESTROYER INDIsPENSABLE.


DESTROYER INDIsPENSABLE.
scranton PENN Dee IL" We protect skunks in
my section Of New York state said hop grower Of
Otscgo County who visiting In scsanton few days
ago. swh rs much We do song birds. No
body I'm the hopraising region of Central New York
traps or shoots the skunk nowadays, for the reason
that the little black and white animal Is tie best
friend the hopgrower has. II used to be supposed
that the skunk. in his nocturnal prowings through
the hop-yards In the early summer did great deal
Of injury to the tender vines o the growing hops,
but the discovery made few years ago that
the contrary was the fact, and since then every
owner Of a hop-yard, Instead Of laying plans to
d. strov the skunk as he had done before has become
his friend and protector. Il used 10 be- the custom
in my neighborlood for every hopgr0wer to educate
his dogs kill sRunhs, Lut Of late years energetic
farm dogs that showed an inclination 10 Stay the
harmless little animals have been taught to let them
alone. When skunk pelts went up In prlc" NV
year, ago many young countrymel who had no hop
yards began to deadfl traps for skunks on o.hr
peoples lands. The farmers upset the doaGAls
before any stInks had been crushed to death unc'r
them going through their fields three or ION ilm-s
a day I'm search Of the quickly constructed Nat Stone
traps Then the trappers went to setting steel traps
for slsunis in secluded places. These the hop
farmers conhscated every time and before long the
nappers abandoned the work in disgust
The reason why the hop-rai,ers IN OtseCo County
and the adjoining counties saw ~ to foster the
skunk was because a small family Of akul.'. II no
on. moicsis them. will. I'm the conrs" Of Few days
huut up and destroy all the gru5s In every NIL of
hops In a GOOD sized yard. The eruS gra~ The
vines of at The roots, and If they are not dug "Nt
th.v will ruin a yard hefor" the middle 6f summer.
Soon after The snow eaes off In the spring pairs n
,i sl,un,,s take NJ their abode near the borders .!
honvards. generally I'm stone wall or under log
ara ~ mon and dogs don't disturb them tey VIII
STAY there all summer raise their young ard destroy
all tie grubs In the yard
at Is interesting to see skunk steal through
howard I'm search OF gruls rs general tlhS Nc
salcs forth after nishtfal from his nest but have
occasionally seen him paving in the hopllil' IN
broad daylight The grub, rs | said before IN
varlaby works at The base Of the hop-Vin'' ana
,ul.. a man or skunk dis II ont. it Will soon
emf ;ne vine I'm two. The skunk begins II quest ior
rrnhs Al the edge OF the yard, where ne cocAs MS
head over hill Of hops and listens II H'"O
working at any one 81 the four trailing WINS "'
,knk's keen ear catches tae slight soui' .'''
human ear couldn't detect, and imh''i'''N Wv
huowiuc little animal starts 10 paw Vs'rouS'' ~ D'0
u ,t,,c,,v over the spot where the grub is |oThhS
taking great care not to scratch me VIM VI -
=, IN tbe least The skunk paws in the dirt 50 care
am, to, h. doesn't break vine that the sTno las
anton :, far through that nothing but sleh'''
thread separates Il from the root L.
~ soon As the skunk has unearti'o 'ie w
structive grub he gobbles II down As tlous" " '"',
mighty good Then Be listens again. ana 40
unrrrin, ear tells him that there Is another s'"" -
tb, hill. he speedily paws It ont ana eltS It, -
hc l,.irs no grub he trots To the next n'''' ""
M doar.s around the yard until he gCts ms III t ~.
IN, rrIi,s lie will never paw III a III" ""''' NV
+ no grub. - ,.o,, corddinc when they
find thai the men and dog on ne pItnls', ,i.rs
"n .g,rt to scare or harm them Last sum -
a .r. moro thar a dozen sNnhs ar"ulu - 49, =,
,nrt and not one ot them offered 10 run '.' ai,,v
iirbt when any of came near """ 80
nv IN. on IN. farm 10 NSt'h '."l.' - ,,,,,a
,,cau,lv not 50 that they rea'IN t'' .s.'9,.,n,ir
vrirnun there: and last summer me, ddtiv,tn,s
hrntcJ for grub, In the hop Jdld III li,' "' l,,
TN s.ar.hed Will. my man WAS r'l.tI,7r h,c,,ns
,r ro,wccn the rows. and they er'niHlIl' n
-" confding That they didn't i1he irls" Ut ro,,'a
when he yelled AT a" hOIS' az" '
ut the ends Of the rows ,,,, .,,,t,, in inf,
one of nv nri shor- had skunk iii,,, - ft
bon-yard one summer that attracted mu'H ~, tr av.
~ Fvas compo,ed Of two old Shulhs an" q ~"
httrr> Tne young iasS,'i ihrir hara"S 4, |,sin
IN No dayllcht willie people looked al mem ~ &
.I,ht 'Tb. owner Of the yard WAS PRONE ~ ,..,,,i
H., ono ,;ov tNn strange dogs came a"hE IN" - ,b
~, ,vb,Is family. They killed tem All III" .s
Sarm.r actually she'd tears when nc Nv ~ Ia
n",s lvinc dead on the Snuhu; ~, ,bIr
it,SodGlrd and the man never l'arl'u WIZ "'e-
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