The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-02
lIlglHlHi{7 GUT; ID

we'll as the woods Swaimed with tnef,1,
and the later seed grain and p5tatoe5
were all eaten before they had a chance
to germinate One man is said to nave
given UP trying to SOW oats ON a certain
spot. the mice coming about him in slon
crowds that his oats were devoured as
fast as he scattered them. By midsunl-
mer, one could not rnow without cutting
some mice down with each sweep of the
scythe, and in many places the hay had
been dragged and pressed down go fiat
as 70 be unfit for cutting. They were
bold, too, and actually fierce. II pur-
stand at bay, sitting upon their haunciI-
ee, sarting their teeth. and squeaIing
vtciously. The males fought like terriers.
Cats. dogs, martens, and foxes gorged
themselves on them 10 repletion, but
with little apparent diminution of their
numbers.
The domestic cats multiplied 50 that
the next year they became a nuisance.
They were 80 wild that they were ter
killed in great numbers.
'The hay crop was much damaged.
The mice cut so much of 1T that IT lay
withsred. But IS was wslen
the grains began to ripen that their de-
struotiveness became especially mani
fest. They then attacked 1t in such num-
bers that all means were unavailing to
arrest tlisir progress. They have been
known to cut down an acre in three
L. - I
ed in a short time The jumping mice
would spring at the ear and thus bring
II to the ground, but the others were in
the habit, as the country people express
ed is. OF junking it. They would nip off
q stalk little above the ground, Feav-
ing it still upright; they bit 1t farther
UP, until IT fell over or the epd came
within their reach, when they would
either devour the grain or draw it %
their nests, which were commonly under
the roots of stumps. Over stunps and
acres they left not = stalk standing nor
a grain of wheat to reward Ebe 1abors
of the farmers. Trenches were dug, and,
Wtlen it could be done, were filed with
water, but they formed only slight
baVdeT to the cavages Of the rodents.
When the grain was consumed the
mice burrowed in the ground so far as
to attack the potatoes"
Plaques so severe as these do not
seem to have been repeated in the Mari
time provinces nor to have occurred
within the United States. Analogous
invasions of squirrels, often highly de-
Structfve, were Of frequent occurrence
among frontier settlements in the early
history of the upper Mississippi valley.
Traditions and records exist, however,
Of similar costly visitatfons by frordes Of
small rodents in various European
countries, and the fable Of the Pied
Piper of Hamelin may have originated
IN somathing of the sort There are
Chinese and East Indian legends Of the
same character. The moor parts Of
Scotland have been afflicted in this way
the last occurrence being only dozen
years ago; and in northern Scandina-
viaa incursions by hordes Of jennings
"a sort OF mouSe-are suffered every
few years. The latest and most note
worthy plague of this kind, however, o.
CURED in Russia during the season Of
1S93-94, and summary of the facts in
regard TO 1T has only jrst been publish
ca in a United States consular report.
The pest extended throughout a very
wide agricultural area in southern and
western Russia, extending far into ST.
IBERIA; and the various native field mice
seem tc have been accompanied by rats,
house mice, and even shrews, and ID
move, as body. from east to west.
Similar destructive migrations-2lways
toward rhe weSt-llave been noticed be-
fore, at intervals Of from twelve to
twenty years. The damage done varied
with the density OF the plague in the
various districts, and seems on the whole
to have been more to stored than to
growing grain. The consular report
cited says: "W.rile in some districts the
increase OF mice w3s not ve-y great, in
others their Increase was enormous IN
the fields, farm yards, gardens, dwell
ing houses, and other buildings, and
even in wells and on rivers TO such an
exterit that the population CT that 10
oality discontinued the use OF fish as
food, especially pike. because i wSs lis
covered that they contained mice.
Besides grain devoured and spoiled,
heavy losses were caused through the
damaging OF clot1ing-yarR and Of build
inss, which were undermined along the
floors. walls, and ceilings. The holiness
Of the mice is shown in the fact that
they not only gnawed the wool from
animals and the hair from the heads Of
people VINO were s,eeping, but there were
even instances OF open attacks on men
engaged in labor ON the threS1ing fioorS
IAN incident which came under M
ow, personal observation is not wit7oJrt
interest While I was waiting for a
train at small ststion on b-anc: line
Of the Southwestern railway. a clergy
man. VITA very long hair AMI beard, VINO
was walking UP and down che platform.
stopped for moment and raised the
end ot a canvas which served as a cover
for a large quantity Of wheat waiSi was
aTSltiRg shipment. In n instant q mass
o mice sprerg az him, and mis- Beard.
hair and cloak were literally alive with
them. To brush them off ives a na-tsr
of some time. and when NY feliow-trav-
cler At length thought himself free, he
xaE disnayei 70 find mouse in eaci u
his trousers pockets
TIE causes % these psstife0ous i-r1p-
Sons OF mise seem Substantially the
same in all eases The destruction o.
natural clie-nies, such a. wfl6o2ts.
hawks. owls, snakes. etc, allows the il
tie rodents. naturally exceedingly pro
iific. 20 multiply unduly. Then Games
very favorable winter, as the unusually
warm s.eaao. OF 1928 in Russia. w<len
all conditions are favorable for their