The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-03
a SLAUGHTER OF RABBITS.
Farmers Make War on the Pests
Every Year in California.
Fem, The Nam VorI. TY,nes

/ HJOHt tt6 4FctO OTH ItEn6S-
| SAN Francisco, Feb. 25. - With the
month of March opens the season for a sport
that is distinctively and exclusively feat
! ure OF California life. 1t is the rabbit
! drive. Though marked by cold blooded and
| promiscuous slaughter, the rabbit drive is
| yearly growing in popularity with Califor-
mans, who, when they go af1eld, with
sinews strung for the action, literally COM
bine business with pleasure. A rabbit
| drive means half day Of the widest ex-
| element to regiment of men, a violent
| and certain death to legion of long-eared
| lithe-limbed jack rabbits and the preserva-
| ton of thousands of bushels of grain and
numberless valuable trees and grapevines
The valleys Of Central and Southern
California swarm with jack rabbits. For
| years they proved themselves a pest of the
| worst kind to farmers. They rooted over
| the grain fields, aud destroyed young grape
vines and fruit trees by girdling them near
| the ground with their sharp teeth. All sorts
| of schemes were resorted TO for the annihi-
lation of these creatures. but in spite OF the
poisoned bats and the traps prepared for
them, they increased in numbers until they
threatened to destroy every crop Of grain
that was planted, and every vine and tire
that was set out.
Five years ago the farmers of Fresno
county resolved to rid the county OF some
of the animals and they plannel rabbit
drive. On certain day the grain and fruit
growers for miles around assembled III the
fields at the southeast of Fresno. The
country was virtually deserted. and the
ranks Of the farmers were strengthened by
men, women and children from the town
who made sport of what the farmers con-
sidered serious business.
First, a corral was built of wire fencing
about four feet wide. This Enclosure sur
rounded about an acre of land, and In form
represented Bartlett pear split lengthwise.
The entrance was at the small end. Run
nlng out from each side of this gateway
were wings OF wire fencing extending nearly
q quarter Of mile each way. From the
extremities of these wings the people were
arranged in line, spreading out so far into
the field as their numbers would permit
without breaking the rank, until they
formed living circle around tract OF land
twenty acres in extent
The women and children were placed
nearest the fences, for in the field active
work was to be done. When the line was
completed and all things were in readiness,
the leader of the drive gave the signal, and,
Yelling at the top Of their lungs and beat
ing the ground with clubs, the line closed
slowly in.
When the advance toward the corral
began, now and then the drivers, at some
point in the line, would be aroused to
degree of enthusiasm that seemed almost
maniacal by light brown hump that rose
from the ground and stretched itself into a
dim streak that momentarily heightened
toward the opposite line of drivers. That
was jack rabbit, started from his lair. As
the lines Of men drew near each other the
brown streaks doubled rapidly on them
selves, and finally began to zlg.Zag wildly
across the inclosure as the frightened, long
cared creatures ran hither and thither In
search of an opening through which they
might escape.
Gradually the animals we're driven toward
the corral uniil finally the last one was in
the Enclosure, which was an undulating
mass of hopping and skipping Dummies COM
pletely at the mercy Of their enemies. As
mauy OF the men and boys as cared to do 80
entered the Enclosure, and with clubs slew
the rabbits, sharp crack on the skull being
ali that was necessary to put permanent
nuietus on the animals. In about four
hours time upward of 10000 rabbits were
| killed.
success by the farmers. and from
that day the rabbit drive has been an es-
tablished thing in Southern and Central
California