Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
All Around the Place.

Weather such as prevailed for the
couragement to anything more than
sitting around the house or performing
those chores that cannot be put on.
Bad weather, however, affords oppor-
tunity for doing a lot of odd jobs
around the house, in the cellar and the
attic and in the outbuildings that in
fine weather are left undone.
Of junk in the course Of years that
would be better discarded than kept
Go over the things in the attic and
throw away everything for which there
the same with the junk in the cellar
and in the outbuildings. Clean out the
cellar and remove all ashes, etc, ready
to be hauled away and disposed Of
With the help of the woman folk clear
out the closets. disposing of everything
that has outworn its usefulness. Then
see how much more room the process
Of elimination has left available-for
more junk.
From time to time give the fruit
trees, grapevines and berry bushes
looking over. Cut away any branches
or twigs that may have been broken
have blown loose. See il rabbits or
mice have attacked the bark of the
trees, vines and shrubbery, and. II SO,
take steps to protect the growths from
further injury while repairing the dam
age already wrought.
recent publication of the Depart
ment of Agriculture called attention TO
the damage wrought by cottontail rab-
bits and pine mice throughout the
eastern part of the United States ana
particularly in the middle Atiantic
states. The pests. the department ex,
perts say, do much harm to fruit and
ornamental trees and shrubs, as well
as to garden produce and other 1arm
crops.
The pine mice it is stated, do almost
all of their work underground ana are
seldom seen on this account Many
farmers accuse the moles of in1urins
sweet potatoes in the rows or otner
vegetables buried in the garden ZOE ~
winter or spring use. AS MAZE "
fact. moles do not attack sweet po-
tatoes or any other vegetable. Tor the
very simple reason that they are Ilol
able to do so, their mouths ana Jaw
not being constructed SO as 70 p ethia,.
them to gnaw or eat such vegetaples..
The injury complained of is wrougn,t
nv nine mice or field mice, which work
In the burrows made by the moles.
The presence of these mice in mole
borrows can usually be detected by .ie
coca stonal openings they make TO the
snrface from the runways. Pine mice
ara not so prolific as their near reia
tiyes the meadow mice, but, proeectso
as they are by their underground hdp
its. they sometimes become aonornlails
abundant. This is especially apPaLen'
In states where hawks and owls, whicf
are enemies of these rodents. are de'
stroyed. The mice live upon roots
seeds, succu1ent vegetation and narh
| of Young trees, and are very oestIuc.
| tive to sweet potatoes and otner tup T,.
as we'll as to trees and shrubs. Int
most practical method of controlling
| this pest is by poisoning. Sweet pota.
| toes cut into small pieces have proved
| to be the most effective bait. They arS
prepared as follows:
Sweet potato bait-Cut sweet pota
| toes into pieces about the size of large
grapes. Moisten four quarts of these
and drain off excess moisture. Slowl!
| sift over them one-eighth ounce o.
powdered strychnine (alkaloid). using
| a pepperbox or salt shaker for the pur'
| nose. and stir constantly to distribute
| the poison evenly.
One or two pieces of the poisoned
sweet potatoes should be dropped 1ntt
| the tunnels through the natural open
ings. or through openings made WITT
n.
| son invariably results in an almos
| complete determination of pine mice
| These pests are also easily trapped
| but owing to the extra time and labol
| required. this method does not compare
| favorably with poisoning.
| Cottontail rabbits breed rapidly, an(
| in spite of the inroads made upon theil
numbers by predatory animals, such a!
the larger hawks and owls. cats ant
| dogs. and the excellent sport they fur
| nish hunters, they sometimes become
so abundant as to occasion serioui
| losses. They eat all sorts of heritage
preferring such succulent foods as veg
! etables. clover or alfalfa. fallen fruits
| etc When snow cuts off the supply o
their favorite food, they frequently Kill
| trees and shrubs by gnawing the bark
In this way they often cause serious
| financial losses to nurserymen and or
! chardists.
The majority Of eastern states protec
| rabbits during the greater part of thu
year, although half of these state:
| have provisions enabling farmers ant
| fruit growers to destroy the animals II
| order to protect their crops and trees.
In localities where cottontai1s arr
| sufficiently abundant to be continue
menace. the safest and most nearl,
permanent method of securing immu
| nifty from their ravages is to fence
against them. 1t has been found tina
| woven wire netting of one and a half
| inch mesh and thirty inches high will
| exclude rabbits. provided that the low
| er border of the fence is buried five OF
| six inches below the surface of the
| ground. In cases where small mum
| Der of trees are concerned, a cylinder
| of similar wire netting around eacf
| tree. If so fastened that 1t cannot b.
pushed up close against the tree serve.
the purpose more economically.
When the law permits. poison car
often be used to advantage. especially
at times when the natural food of the
rabbit is scarce. The following formu.
las have been employed with consid-
cradle success:
| Poisoned oats-Mix together one
ounce of powdered strychnine (alka-
loid). one ounce of baking soda, one
eighth ounce of saccharine and three
| heaping tablespoonfuls of -four Still
with enough cold water to make q
| creamy paste and apply to twelve
quarts of good clean oats. mixing thor
oughly. This same creamy paste car
| also be applied to orchard prunings
! The smaller twigs should be cut uI
| into two or three inch lengths and the
poison applied in the same way as
with oats.