The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-06-04

(Prepared by the United States DEPART
ment of Agricultural
Several groups, or genera, OF short
tailed field mice occur In the United
States and Canada, but only two OF
them have, by reason of their album
dance in cultivated regions, become Sc
rious pests. These are commonly
known as meadow mice and pine mice.
Depredations by meadow mice may
be greatly lessened and serious out
breaks prevented by clean cultivation,
the elimination Of old fence rows, and
the prompt burning Of dead weeds ana
other trash.
Pine mice, like moles, burrow under
ground, where their tunnels are SIM
liar in extent and intricacy to the sur
face runways of meadow mice; but as
their natural habitat is the woods, they
come less frequently in contact with
farm crops. Their most serious depre-
dations are in orchards, although they
often do serious damage In lawns ana
plantations adjoining woodlands by
eating bulbs and gnawing the roots OF
shrubbery. In such situations they ire
ouently also destroy potatoes, peanuts
and newly planted seeds of truck crops
Their concealed operations permit
them to do much harm before theil
presence is suspected. For this rea
son. also, they are less often the VIC
tins of birds Of prey.
Ordinary mouse traps of the gulllo
tine type, baited with rolled oats an'
set in runways of either meadow o.
pine mice will free small area OF tne
animals, but for large areas or Tor op
erations against considerable NUMBER
of these mice, poisons are recon
mended.
For poisoning meadow mice on larg
areas the following methods are rec
commended:
pry.Grain FormuIa.-Mix thorough
one ounce powdered strychnine (alKa
loid), one ounce powdered bicarbonat
of soda, and one-eighth ounce (or less
of saccharine. Put the mixture IN
tin pepper box and sift it gradual
over so pounds of crushed wheat or 4
mounds of crushed oats in metal Jul
mixing the grain constantly so tnat u
poison will be evenly distributed. Ut
mixing has the advantage that In
grain may be kept any length OF tim
without fermentation. If 1t Is desire
to moisten the grain to facilitate thol
ough mixing, it will be well to use
thin starch paste Gas described peioV
but without strychnine) before app!
ing the poison. The starch soon nar'
i ans and fermentation is not likely
WfOllow. =,
If crushed oats or wheat cannot Q
obtained. whole oats may be used' D.
they should be of good quality.
mice hull the oats before eating tne
it is desirable to have the poison pen
trate the kernels. A very thin stalS
haste ia recommended as a medium Il
applying poison to the grain. Prepa'
as follows:
veteran FoTWN's a.
ounce of strychnine (sulphate) IN y
quarts Of boiling water. Dissolve "
tablespoonfuls of laundry starcn :,
half a pint of cold water. Ada U
starch to the strychnine solution al
boil for a few minutes until the STAR
ia clear. Pour the hot starcn over .,
bushel Of oats in metal tub anu y
thoroughly. Let the grain stand oVe
night to absorb the poison.
The poisoned grain prepared py
ther of the above formulas Is to
distributed over the infested area, u
more than teaspoonful at a pla'
care being taken to put 1t IN mou
runs and at the entrances OF Durrov
To avoid destroying birds 1t snos
whenever possible be placed uno
such shelters as piles OF weeds, stia
brush, or other litter, or under poal'
Small draintiles IN inches In dame'
have sometimes been used to advt
tage to hold poisoned grain, but OLD