The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1914-02-14
The Jack Rabbit.

jack rabbit Is important IN tins
section, The Times Herald gives
space to the following letter re-
Gently published in the Onterio
Democrat:
January 30, 1914.
Mr.. Il. C. Van Petten,
Ontario, Oregon.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of January %, re-
latiye to the destructiveness of
jack rabbits and asking for in
formation on methods of destroy
ing them, has been referred to
this bureau for attention.
The experiments in Australia,
which gave rise to the general
belief that a method of spreading
disease among rabbits has been
discovered, proved a failure, and
at present no such method is
practiced. There are but two
courses to pursue in dealing with
the rabbits If the community
is sufficiently populous to make
drives" over considerable areas
of country, that is, to surround a
section or two and gradually
drive the animals into a rabbit
proof enclosure, this is a COM
mendable method though too ex-
pensive if it is necessary to hire
help.
In southern Idaho, where. un-
der the stress of winter condi-
tions, rabbits have flocked to hay
stacks and to cultivated fiells,
we have found poisoning the
most practical method of dertroy-
ing them. We recommend the
general use of poisoned oats un-
der the direction of a competent
man in each district. We have
found the county authorities
willing to assist to the extent of
supplying strychnine for the
work. The most effectual poi
son is as follows:
Dissolve one ounce of strych-
nine (alkaloid) in one pint Of hot
water containing I pint of vine
gar. mix 2 tablespoons of ordi-
gloss starch in half cup Of cold
water and add to the boiling
strychnine solution to make a
thin mucilage. Now dissolve /
ounce of bi-carbonate of soda in
half a cup of hot water, add to
the poisoned starch, and stir well.
Add ounce of saccharine and
mix the poison preparation with
10 quarts of oats. Allow to
stand twenty-four to forty-eight
hours mixing occasionally
when nearly dry, stir in about
5 qts of clean oats.
Each quart of the poisoned
grain is sufficient for about thirty
bats. This amount should be
scattered slightly on clean sur
faces about the hay stack along
rabbit trails, or about the bor-
ders of fields. Stock or sheep
need not be in the least endang-
cred, if ordinary care is exercised
in placing the poison. Valuable
dogs might possibly be poisoned
by eating a number Of stomachs
of poisoned rabbits but, of course,
it is possible to muzzle such dogs
or to keep them at home.
We suggest, as the most prac-
tical means for reducing the rab-
bits, that the residents in each
district ordanize for general poi
soning. and procure strychnine
and grain. Poisoning is quite
effective any conditions, but the
plan should be such that full ad-
can be taken of any
severe weather, particularly when
snow is on the ground, since the
rabbits are then driven to the
stacks and cultivated fields in
great numbers.
We consider it advisable to have
all the poison prepared by one
nan, who should also be respon-
,ible for storing it and distribut-
ng it TO the ranchman with full
direction for using it and caution
rs to its deadliness.
Isolated attempts to poison, by
here and there, will
AMOUNT to practically nothing,
md the method is commendable
,nly if it can be put into general
lse. The organized campaigns
ii Idaho have not progressed far
,nough to conclude as to the sue
'ess or failure Of reducing the
'abbits sufficiently to prevent
Iamage in spring. In all tests
~ our field men, however, 80
many rabbits have been killed.
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