The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1916-03-25
GROUND SQUIRRELS
ARE HARD TO KILL
EXPERT RECOMMENDS MAKING
POISONED GRAIN MORE
POWERFUL
C. V. Singleton VIII Assist Interested
Parties in Preparing the
Grain

Follow-up work in the demonstra
ton of the preparation and use o+
poisoned grain for ground squirrels
will be carried on by c. V. Singleton Of
the university, in cooperation with c
M. Yerrington of the government bi-
illogical survey, who introduced the
work here short time ago.
Recent experiments at the universe
ty farm and elsewhere in this section
and the experiences of Mr.. Yerrington
in neighboring communities, indicate
that the Columbia ground squirrel
that is found here is an unusually
difficult rodent to kill, and it is rec
commended that the poison be more
concentrated than that formerly pre-
pared.
Mr.. Yerrington has urged farmers
to keep persistently at work using the
poison, and is sure that highly satis-
factory results will follow. Mr.. Stu
gleton will be available for demonstra-
tions, and interested farmers are in
vited to call upon him for assistance.
The formula has the appearance of in
volving more work and of being more
complicated than it really is, and it
is believed that the help of Mr.. Single
ton in showing how the grain is pre-
pared, it's use will soon become quite
general.
The modified formula follows:
Preparation For Poisoning Columbian
Ground Squirrel
/. Mix thoroughly one ounce of
strychnine alkaloid-not sulphate-
(powered) and one ounce of com7
mon baking soda, Zone heaping table
spoonfuD
q Sift this into A pint of thin
starch paste and stir to a creamy
mass. The starch paste is made by
dissolving two tablespoonfuls of gloss
starch in a little cold water, which
is then added to q pint of boiling
water. Boil and stir constantly until
thin clear paste is formed.
3. Add 1-3 pint (12 tablespoonfuls)
of any kind of syrup and stir thor
oughly.
4. Add 1 tablespoonful of glyce-
rine
Add a ounce e teaspoonfuls) sac
charine and stir we'll.
6. Pour this poisoned solution over
16 quarts of oats, and stir until each
grain is thoroughly coated with thin
film of starch paste. If the skin is
not broken the hands may be used In
mixing. Wash them afterwards.
T. One tablespoonful of the poison
ed grain should be placed at each
burrow on clean hard surface, allow
ing the grain to scatter slightly as 1t
falls. (Placed in this way it will not
endanger live stock.) Do not put the |
grain on mounds or in holes. Pre- |
pare 12 to "a hours before using. Each |
quart of the poisoned grain should
treat about 40 holes.
Mr. Yerrington explained that
strychnine alkaloid, not the more
common strychnine sulphate, is used
because it is more powerful, and is in
soluble in water so that it stands ex-
posure better and is tasteless when
the squirrel first takes it into the
mouth 1t is soluble in the saliva, and
is absorbed into the blood, affecting
the nervous system The small
amount absorbed from few grains
carried in the cheek pouches is suffic-
lent to kill a squirrel. The soda has
the effect of retarding the dissolving
of the poison SO the victim will eat
more of the grain than if it dissolved
more quickly and was tasted sooner.
The starch paste is the vehicle ito.
carry the insoluble poison, and syrup
is added to make the bait more palata-
Bile, to strengthen the paste, and to
give an attractive odor. Glycerine
keeps the paste from drying out and q
rubbing off,
Saccharine is five hundred times
sweeter than sugar, and is used to t
cover the bitter taste of the dissOlvlng I
poison and has the virtue of not fer
menting and souring the grain.
Squirrels will eat from three a
o ten minutes before they are Il
seized with the first convulsion. g
They can be caught then and I
ater developments can be watched. v
Following the first convulsion, they il
ire normal for few minutes and are II
hen likely to run into their holes : 0