Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-02-16
DEATH ON SQUIRRELS.
Carbon BIZ Suiphide as a Sguir-
ret E.rterU1inufOr.

Bulletin No. !. Idaho Agricultural Experiment
Station. University of Idaho.
BY CHARLES p Fox, DIRECTOR.
(This experiment was inaugur-
ated by DIR. McCurdy, Chemist of
the Station.)
Another good way to make, or
to save, money on the farm is to
destroy the ground squirrel"
This animal is probably the most
serious pest with which the west
ern farmer has to deal.
The names ground squirrel,
gopher, &c, are applied to several
species belonging to the genus
Spermophilus. The most abundant,
and one that does the most dam
age is small, grayish animal
IS. elegans Kenn.
The species found in northern
Idaho is S. Columbinnus Ord.
NOTE.-The accurate determin-
alton of the species is the work of
the zoologist and not of the
agriculturist.
Various remedies have been
tried with the hope of Kidding the
farms of this pest.
Trapping is safe remedy, but a
rather slow one.
Strychnine has proven a partial
success, but it's cost and the
danger arising from its use pro-
hibits its application on large
scale.
During the last few years the
Carbon Bisulphide Method, origin
ated by Prof. f. w. Hilgard,
University of California, has prov
ed to be cheap, safe and reliable
remedy.
Pure Carbon Bisulphide is a
heavy, colorless liquid. The com
mercial article is slightly colored
and has a very disagreeable odor.
When exposed to the air, Carbon
Bisulphide evaporates rapidly. The
vapor is heavier than air, very
inflammable, and when inhaled
it produces faintness, vertigo
headache, &c. For. these reasons
some care should be taken when
handling the chemical. Never
bring light or fire in contact with
the vapor.
The chemical is applied as fol-
lows =
A small ball of cotton, rags, dry
grass, etc, is saturated 1.-TWO table
spoonsful will be enough) with the
liquid and then introduced into
the burrow. The hole is then
closed tightly with soil.
Unless the operation is perform
ed in the evening some of the
treated holes will be scratched
open by outlying squirrels. Mr..
p. l.. Smith, Cotton, Washington,
suggests that the remedy be APP
piled in the spring while the
ground is yet compact. He re-
commends the use of balls of dry
horse dung instead of cotton.
This reduces the cost, and the
rounded mass will carry the chem
zeal beyond the reach of the dirt
used in closing the hole"
During the spring of 1898, some
experiments with carbon bisul-
phide were conducted by this Sta
ton. AT Experimental farm No. /,
Grangeville, test was made upon
thirty holes. Twenty-seven of
these holes were undisturbed; two
were scratched open from the out
side and one from the inside. A
number of these holes were after
wards dug open and in each one
there was found a dead squirrel.
Mr.. Norwood, the Assistant Direc-
tor in charge of the farm, is highly
pleased with the result.
Mr.. Cash, Asst. Director, Expert
mental farm No. 2, Idaho Falls,
writes me as follows:
1.-THE Carbon was used in 50
burrows, So of which were never
again opened"
About tablespoonful was used
to each burrow. This amount was
poured on handful of straw,
dried grass or q piece of old cloth
(these served the purpose equally
as well) and placed well into the
burrow, the entrance then being
stopped with earth.
There are two varieties here,
small, long-tailed kind, very
similar to the "chipmunksn of the
east. These live mostly near
buildings and are not very numer-
Gus. Then there is one about the
size of an ordinary rat, resembling
1t IN color, but having a thicker
body and stub tail about an inch
long; this kind is responsible for
most of the damage done to grow
ing crops. They are very trouble
some on land that joins uncleared |