The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-23
HOW TO KILL SQUIRRELS.
Many Poisons Are Given Trials. but
StI.XchuIne Gives the Rest Results.


Colfax Letter In Spokane Spokesman.
Fighting the squirrel pest Is now the
principal occupation of the farmers in
the southern and western parts of the
county and is being engaged in rather
extensively in some other sections. The
methods of determination are numerous
and varied and all kinds of schemes are
being used to destroy the pests. Nothing
better than strychnine seems to have
come into general use as yet. OF the
poisons IL Is by far the most popular.
Hundreds OF ounces OF II are being used
every week. Earlier in the season phos-
phorous was used with very gratifying
results. but II does not make as palata-
bic taste on wheat as strychnine and su-
gar salt or some other favoring, and
when the feed gets good they do not eat
PHOSPHORUS as well as strychnine. After
using strychnine a few months the bisul-
phide of carbon is recommended as an
excellent thing TO kill off the few animals
that are too cautious to eat doctored
grain. but as a primary method II Is
thought TO be too expensive and trouble
some.
The methods OF mixing strychnine are
numerous, different users recommending
the amount OF grain 10 be mixed with an
ounce at from a gallon 10 ten bushels.
Those who seem TO have the best success
mix an ounce with about four gallons.
A patent poison known as BLACK Death"
was introduced here a few seasons ago
and used with remarkable success, but
has not since been on the market. Il was
a liquid which was poured on the grain
and stirred dry.
a gentleman of considerable experience
in fighting the pests recommends a meth
cd OF mixing strychnine which he claims
has all the virtues OF BLACK Death" be-
sides being cheaper. He powders an
ounce of the poison very fine and mikes
Il with a quart OF table syrup. stirring
thoroughly. Then pour the mixture into
a bushel OF wheat and after careful stir
ring mix enough -four TO dry the grains
so they will not cling together. This
mixture produces satisfactory results and
does not waste the strength OF the poison
that dissolving or boiling does.
Arsenic has been having quite boom
and is a great deal cheaper than other
poiSons hut is as vet only an expert
ment The druggists have inaugurated a
rather lively competition IN poisons, in
consequence OF which farmers are ena-
bled 70 buy strychnine at 50 cents an
ounce. against Sis and S1.25 paid last
year.
The disease which was noticed in so
many sections OF the country few
weeks ago does not seem 20 be spreading
as much as was anticipat ted. but. on the
contrary, seems 20 be on the decrease,
and young squirrels are coming out by
the thousands. A farmer here received a
letter last winter from an official Of the
agricultural department, In answer 20 in
Quiries concerning the possibility of inoc-
ulating the squirrels with some fatal dis
ease, in which the official expressed fl as
his opinion that no very fatal disease
could be bred In animals that lived I'm
the ground. for the reason that the earth
was such q purifier that Il would absorb
the germs and prevent the disease
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