The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-29
Depredations OF Mice In Orchai ds.

don't think / have ever seen so
many field mice as there are this season
Il seems they are more numerous dur
ing droulh and do more damage than
at any o her time. However, they cir
die trees during the winter season I'M
!, IS the trees have been carefully cared
for AID protected.
Those who have not done this work
yet should not delay one day. Do 1T to-
morrow, esptci llv if there ia any rub
bish, weeds or grass around your trees
and there is this fall, for spring and
eally summer make strong growth OF
vegetation Of all kinds. have no
doubt but that there are thousands OF
apple trees already girdlrd in Ohio.
Tne drouth was 80 general and 30 se.
we're that soon after the first oil October
there was not green spear OF grass to
he seen here. 1t was then that these
little rodents commenced their work.
1t would seem that they do it more then
on account of the absence of anything
else green to eat. However, they will
girdle trees more or less even when
grass is green, If they are as numerous
as this season.
II can easily be seen, now, since the
rains have come, how full they are of
fresh clover; how they eat out the
crown--in fact kill large amount of ii.
In spite OF care and vigilance we lost
two trees in Ocl ober, nine years old d,
and few planted last spring. The
cursed things tackle trees this year re-
Careless of size-six, eight inches in di-
ameter-but are usually worse on young
trees that have no dry, rough bark on
the outside.
There are many devices to prevent
this destruction of trees by mice, and
shall only mention few which think
best. Where newly planted trees were
mulched, the mulch should be removed
clean with an iron rake in circle two
feet from the trees. For trees that
we're not uulched and have no protec
ton, take sharp hoe, keep file with
you to keep it sharp, and remove all
manner of stuff to the ground he same
distance as for small trees. Use The
hand if necessary close to the trees
Two men can do several hundred trees
per day. The work should have beer
done this year during the latter part o
September. Around newly planted
trees it is best to throw up little
mound of clean earth, six or eigh
inches high. In the spring it may bt
raked down and the mulch drawn BIZ ok
Ordinarily if well done the above
answers the purpose for one year
Nice don't girdle trees unless screened
iIom sight. Instinct teaches the lttl
rascsls of the danger of some sparrow
hawks darling down upon them b.
day, and screech owle in the night
(By the way it always does me good
and stop when zee one of these lii
tie hawks futtering up in the cir witt
his head turned to the earth; and pres
emily he darts down like shot en-
flies off with little black thing in hi
clutches and lights on a stump or ferc
and dissects the blamed varminlD Mic
are not likely to circulate under tn
snow where it lies on the bare ground
and 30 they don't find The trees whel
the grass and mulch are kept ava
from the trunks.
For permanent and better work W
put about a bushel of fine cinder
around each tree in cone shape. Fo
small trees less will do. Neither mic
nor vegetation of any kind like cinder
and in the winter the wind and it'll
sunshine cleans the top of the littl
black mounds from snow and gives th
trees q safe and comfortable appear
ance. We get the cinders from th
electric power plant. These are tn
finest. We want no clinkers whic
would roll out and be in the way abou
moving, etc. They cost twenty cent
per load.
/ once tried wire screen for smallis
trees. We cut it twelve inches squar
and roll it on round stick, open il up
aud spring it around the trees an
chuck it to the ground. A couple o
years rusted them to pieces and frae2
ing heaves it up the trees and gives th
mice chance just where they want il
have tried tarred paper wrappe,
around the trees. Neither proved sat
isfactory. Strings soon rotted off an
if wire was used, it would iDjure tn
trees. In conclusion l advise the use O
cinders if the distance to haul will no
make it too expensive.-Correspond
ent Ohio Farmer.