The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-02
SOME FUNNY GOPHERl.

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a-sssa BY Mary G. Judd, Author OF "a c Of Rrds.n
OWN in the pine Georgia in other parts
of the south. there is gopher gopher,
at least northern boy would calling
creatures by that and if have
with it you would hardly light
after daybreak in the holes which the darkie
traps - s.ssz
Onions and lilies disappear by the underground
your sweet potato patch many
southland
darkey may tell you that the ss-inch or wider
opening by your garden is gopher
IS like none you ever north Of the Ohio river The
inches deep by that opening morning bring
to you what a m
Deere, massa, tole you sure, gopher,
oeo trappef Will and you learn by this similar
periences that
.'Gophers not gophers use to be
IS Way up in the North Countre''-
Merry lin the Gardens
This destructive or tortoise (Testudo Carolina)
makes Of the gardens Georgia
neghbori He and his mate for thew often work
together much prefer the well soil the homes
OF men, The digging is easier good
in the mellow soil and perhans they o Law low and
say nothing in their listening
to the dire threats of the garden
and below because they planted
While these tortoises evidently
no two occupy the sleeping place
large number of tough skinned pigeon
SAND or earth and il not dscavered d st h Wy
or other enemies of turedom eventually hatch large
and interesting brood Of nchw vide tiny
able Of earning their living making way
the rst unused underworld tunnel they able discover
Many OF these young gophers gobbled by different
creatures who like them and whose needed
keep the numbers natures children
sharp forecaWs already digging
and they know by instinct sweet potato
patch which, suffers nightly from their midnight
e young gophers are caught and served IN turtle soup
or more properly gopher gumbo If they maturity
they may measure fifteen inches the shell weigh
thirty pounds.
The land tortoise 50 known in English gardens
and which like this southern cold vegetarian
pet Is near relative of this Georgia garden pest
seems strange to visitors the reptile
should receive the Of gopher gopher
.Geomys Iuza should be called saamander, which
has long served to distinguish the reptile
fire without suffering The saamander of the gulf
pouched capable of doing amount of trouble
silent unseen way under the surface of powed
Wen stocked with ubers bulbs or large sized seeds and
rarely shows his ground long enough say
thank you to the farmer who has provided
for his delight
Snow PIow
Using his feet with the rapdity OF
with yigor as his Missouri cousin Geomys
bursarius whose oelke famous this
salamander Of gopher accumulates
he is hoarder of his mining powers IN
stead, he converts himself living wheebarrow and
whirlng about in his hole
with the rapidty push plow salanander
andhis and daughters up many
for winter stock in their underground
they sleep whether they during months
they ready
In Georgia, reptile wins the name
by which know honey comber Of the earth beyond
#Dixes line This time the (Coubercou-
pen) that winds into places under the
gardens.
In the north the gopher prairie squirrel
some have called him. is the
lands of the from Indiana north
"a latitude 64
The the waving cornfed but it
is hoped that blowing poisons inhaled
ly CONQUERED the rascal is seed
eater spermophus Frankni destroyed many hun
dreds OF bushels of seed which the farmers planted
His match is most nearly found SPUR
rel (Spermophilus BeecheyD unconquerabe pest
of California ranches which gopher like
himself The various species of the greatest
Dand OF beasts earth,
their four chsellke incisors No canine
teeth are theirs and the place usually
other mouths toothess between ncisors
and the grinding molars.
ack and alas for the beastie whether tiny
mouse squirrel the giant of Rodenta beaver if one
OF the lower chisel teeth otherwise de-
stroyed Its tooth mate in