The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-04-18
THE RABBITS OF AUSTRALIA.
At First they Were Pair, Then a Pest, and
Now They Bring NJ 900 900 In Two Years

Z
At First they Were Pair, Then n Pest, and
Now They Bring 81, OOO,O 900 In Two Years
About forty years ago a pair of rab-
bits was brought to Australia and
turned loose on a farm about fifty
miles from Melbourne. In an incred-
ibly short time they multiplied to such
an extent that they became pest.
The rabbits spread in millions over
the western and northern areas of Vic
toria. They invaded New South Wales
and pressed on, still increasing, thou
and miles northward into Queensland
The western part of Victoria, once
called Australia Felix, embraces some
of the richest soil on earth. 1t was
paradise for the rabbits, who soon
made it a desert. The grass began to
disappear. Every green blade and
shrub was swept away as by fire. The
settlers saw their cattle and sheep
starving, but were helpless. The sub
stantial stone fences round the farms
were harbors for the imported plague,
and they were reluctantly torn down.
Wire fencing, with rabbit-proof net
ting carried we'll below the ground,
was substituted. Then this innocent
creature took to climbing the fences
and displayed marvellous gymnastic
ability in its endeavors to get at the
crops.
All means of destroying the rabbits
proved Intellectual. Shooting only
served to make them flourish, as it
killed out enough of the colonies to
lave more food for the remainder
Dogs and heaters were tried. Rabbit
drives were instituted. Thousands
were killed in every battle, but still
the rabbits increased. Poisoned wheat
served for time, but led by instinct
the rabbits at last refused the doctor
ed grain. Poisoned carrots could not
be resisted until wisdom again taught
the rabbit that to eat was to die.
Then nothing would induce him TO
look at carrot. Arsenic and apples
brought like experience.
Yet despite their cunning instinct
and experience, the rabbits were slow
ly beaten back from point to point.
Every hole and crevice that could offer
the least shelter was blocked up. The
wire-netted fences were constantly
guarded. Men and dogs were every
where on. the watch to hunt to death
every stray rabbit. So bitter was the
fight that the rabbit came to be re-
garded with feelings of greater horror
than those with which the average
Australian now regards the bubonlc
plague.
Beaten in the west, the rabbits in
vaded the north and northeast. Here
they found country suited to their
habits. They increased and multi
piled until they came to hold men,
dogs and guns in contempt. Some
times the trains were delayed through
having run into hordes of the vermin.
Despairing and beaten, the settlers in
voked the aid of the State. Meanwhile
the rabbits had swept on to the Male
country, the home of the dingo and
outlawed cattle. Its sandy soil and
dry warm climate suited the Dummies.
They ate it bare. 1t was possible to
travel hundreds Of miles without see
ing blade of grass. Here they ruled
as lords until Mr.. Lascelles, one of the
owners of this tract, discovered that
it would grow wheat. He determined
to do so.
His first step was crusade against
the rabbits. Inclosing an enormous
space with rabbit-proof and cattle
proof netting, he began war on the
rabbits that ended in their destruc-
ton. Poisoned water was one of his
favorite and most successful agents
All the tanks and water holes in his
dry land are fenced like fortresses
with the strongest of wire MEETINGS
and barbs. The wild cattle. whe1
summer has dried up the natura
sources of supply, drop dead around
them in their frantic efforts to react
!. the precious water, the rabbits fall by
thousands at the base of the impreg
nable barriers.
The poisoned troughs are then re
sorted to, and the number of rabbit!
destroyed in this way is almost in
credible. From one colony to anothe
the pest spread The most rigorous
laws were enacted against it, and ul
timately its numbers were reduced t.
reasonable limits. Now the refriger
use, and the shipment of rabbits t
Z England every year by these mean
has attained enormous proportions
Last year 3,421 ,22O rabbits were ship
ped. The cash returns were s641, ATE
"A great rabbit industry has been bull
up, and where formerly the creatur
was source of loss and expense,
now affords profitable business I'LL
ing stores and ships, feeding million
and providing hats, rugs and cloak
for other millions.-Chicago Dali
News.
children Rust in Summer.