The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-04-01

consists of a spade handle shod witt
a metal point and having strong ba
for the foot of the operator about II
inches from the point. Having located
the runway by use of the dibble, it Il
moved from side to side to make thu
soil firm about the hole, and then with
drawn. A piece of poisoned potato O.
raisin or a teaspoonful of the poisoned
corn is dropped into the hole, which i
left open. Some farmers prefer t
cover the holes, but the experience o
the writer is against the practice.
By this method but little labor /:
necessary, and the operator soon &C
quires skill in finding the runways
The bait should be placed in the mali
runways and not in the short lateran
near the mounds. If placed in tht
laterals, the animals are likely tt
cover it with soil or throw it out with
out finding it. A skillful operator car
go over 20 to 40 acres of badly infest
ed land in a day and, if the work is
carefully done at time when the
pocket gophers are active, all the ami
mails should be destroyed by the frs
application Of poison
Trapping is a successful method
when followed intelligently and per
sistently. 1t is especially adapted tc
small fields, orchards, and gardens
where only few gophers are present;
but in the case of large areas that are
badly infested, the method involves
too much labor. For trapping gOphers
an ordinary No. 0 steel trap may be
employed, but there are a number oil
special gopher traps on the market
that are better adapted for beneral
use.
In using the ordinary steel trap, the
first step is to make an opening into
the main gopher tunnel The trap
should then be sunken SO that the
Jaws are level with the bottom OF the
runway and lightly covered with green
clover or alfalfa or grass, or even
loose soil, care being taken that these
do not clog under the pan, or trigger
No bait is required. The hole shoulC
be just large enough to receive the
trap and should be covered so as al
most to exclude the light.
Besides the ordinary steel trap, var
ious special gopher traps have found
favor with farmers. Several traps are
lies in the ease and simplicity OF oper
alton and in the fact that they kill the
animals instantly. All of them have
been found to be excellent, but the
simpler ones have advantages over
those with closed sides. These spec
ial traps should be set in the lateral:
leading into the main tunnel OF the
gopher, or at the entrance of oper
burrows where fresh earth is being
thrown out. The trapper should choose
the freshest of series OF mounds ant
dig along the lateral until it is fOunC
clear of soil.
Carbon bisulphid has been employed
for killing pocket gophers, and under
favorable conditions it's use is recon-
mended. If the burrows are extensive
or the soil dry, the gases are dissipat
ed so rapidly that a large quantity o.
the liquid is required to kill the ami
mails and the method becomes too eX
pensive If, however, the burrows are
simple and the soil moist, bisulphlt
may be used successfully. For pocKe
gophers an ounce of the liquid fol
each burrow is sufficient. The carbon
bisulphid is poured over a bunch o.
cotton, rags, or other waste materla
and this quickly pushed into the bur
row, which should be closed at once
Any farmer may readily rid his
premises of gophers by the use OF
poison or traps. Unless, however, the
entlre community unites in active ant
intelligent cooperation in the destruc
ton of the animals, the cleared area
will he sooner or later invaded from
neighboring premises, and the work o.
destruction must be repeated. co
operation only will effect radlca
cure. When cooperative efforts FOL
the determination of gophers over
considerable area are attempted, care
full attention must be given to waste