The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-12-30

these and drain OF excess moisture.
Slowly slit over them one-eighth
ounce of powdered strychnine talka-
loid)' using a pepper box or salt
shaker for the purpose, and stir con
stantly to distribute the poison even
/ ly.
One or two pieces of the poisoned
sweet potatoes should be dropped into
the tunnels through the natural open
ings, or through openings made with
a stick A systematic use of this
poison invariably results in an al
most complete determination of pine
mice. These pests are also easily
trapped, but owing to the extra time
and labor required, this method does
not compare favorably with poison
ing.
Cottontail rabbits breed rapidly,
and in spite of the inroads made up
on their number by predatory ami
mails, such as the larger hawks and
owls, cats, and dogs, and the excellent
sport they furnish hunters, they
sometimes become so abundant as to
occasion serious losses. They eat all
sorts of herbage, preferring such sue
culent foods as vegetables, clover or
alfalfa, fallen fruits, etc. When
snow cuts off the supply of their ia
vorite food, they frequently kill trees
and shrubs by gnawing the bark. In
this way they often cause serious fl
nancial losses to nurserymen and Or
chardists.
The majority of eastern States pro-
tect rabbits during the greater part
OF the year, although half of these
States have provisions enabling far
mers and fruit growers to destroy
the animals in order to protect their
crops and trees
In localities where cottontails are
sufficiently abundant to be a contin-
ual menace, the safest and most near
ly permanent method of securing i'm
munity from their ravages is to fence
against them. 1t has been found that
woven wire netting " inch mesh
and 80 inches high will exclude rab-
bits, provided that the lower border
of the fence is buried or inches
below the surface of the ground. In
cases where small number of trees
are concerned, cylinder of similar
wire netting around each tree, if so
fastened that it cannot be pushed up
close against the tree, serves the pur-
pose more economically.
When the law permits, poison can
often be used to advantage, especially
at times when the natural food of
the rabbit is scarce. The following
formulas have been employed with
considerable success:
Poisoned oats.-Mix together
ounce of powdered strychnine (alka-
loid), l ounce Of baking soda, X
ounce of saccharine, and 8 heaping
tablespoonfuls of flour. Stir with
enough cold water to make a creamy
paste and apply to II quarts of good,
clean oats, mixing thoroughly. This
same creamy paste can also he APP
piled to orchard prunings. The small
Ter twigs should be cut up into 2 or
3 inch lengths and the poison ap-
piled in the same way as with oats.
Poisoned green baits.-Cut up a
supply of carrots, parsnips, apples, or
other similar bats into cubes 12 to l
inch in diameter. Insert in each a
small quantity Of powdered strych-
nine or a small strychnine crystal.
When larger quantity is to be pre-
pared, the powdered strychnine can
be busted over the bait by means OF
a salt shaker in the proportion Of "a
ounce of strychnine to quarts of the
bait.
The poisoned oats, prunings, or
green bats are dropped along rabbit
trails or in places frequented by the
rabbits, care being exercised in plaG-
ing them to prevent any possible in
jury to livestock.
The following poisoned wash has
proved highly satisfactory in the
West and promises to be one of the
most popular methods of protecting
trees from rabbits
Poisoned tree wash Dissolve !
ounce of strychnine sulphate in 3
quarts of boiling water and ada u
pint OF laundry starch, previously dis
solved in l pint Of cold water. Boil
this mixture until it becomes clear
paste. Add ! ounce of glycerin and
stir thoroughly. When sufficiently
cool, apply to the trunks of trees
with a paint brush. Rabbits that
gnaw the bark will be killed before
the tree is injured.
Many other repellent tree washes
have been usd with varying success
Other mans of controlling cottOntail
rabbits, such as trapping, and driving
are uSua1ly too slow and laDOriOus