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

cans WIN LHe eu6eS uen' A-'
er will serve the same purpose.
Chopped alfalfa hay poisoned with
strychnine was successfully used to
destroy meadow mice in Nevada during
the serious outbreak Of the animals Id
1908.
For poisoning mice in small areas, as
lawns, gardens, seedbeds, vegetable
n,ts. and the like, a convenient Dait
NAV be prepared from ordinary rolled
oats, as follows:
/ For Small Areas.-Dissolve one-slx-
teenth of an ounce Of strychnine IN one
mint of boiling water and pour 1t over
"a much oatmeal (about two pounds)
as It will wet. Mix until all the gram
ia moistened. Put it out, a teaspoon1ui
at a Mace, under shelter Of weed ana
brush piles or wide boards
The poisoned oatmeal Is adapted lor
killing either meadow or pine mlce'
but for the latter, sweet potatoes pre-
pared as follows, have proved even
more effective:
Potato FormuIa.-Cut sweet pota-
toes into pieces about as large as goou'
sized grapes. Place in a metal pan or
tub and wet with water. Drain OH tne
water and with tin pepper box slow
" sift over them powdered strychnine
(alkaloid preferred), stirring constant
" 80 that the poison is evenly dlstrlD-
uted. An ounce Of strychnlne shouio
nelson a bushel of the cut bait.
The bait, whether Of grain or pieces
Of potato, may be dropped into the
nine mouse tunnels through the nat
ural openings or through holes maze
with nieces of broom handle or other
stick. Bird life will not be endangered
by these bats.
White-Footed Mice.
White-footed mice, or deer mice, are
: ~ MANY species and are present IN al
most all parts of the country. TheJ
7 live in fields and woods, and while they
feed on grain to some extent they rare
> " are present on cultivated LANDS II
sufficient numbers to do serious harm
/ Occasionally they invade greenhouses
= or botbeds and destroy seeds or sprout
} ing plants. In the seedbeds OF nur
!, servmen and especially In those OF TN
. forester who tries to grow CONFER
= thew often do much injury. They are
g IN fact. the most serious pests KNOW
Q IN the confer nurseries Of the Unlte'
d States forest service.
: In ordinary places white-footed mic
q NAV be readily poisoned by the metl
= ODDS recommended for meadow and pin
T- mice. Unfortunately, the seed OF Tn
+ nine is the favorite food OF those an
o mails and where it is planted In apur
dance they refuse to take grain pait'
9 Crushed pine seeds poisoned wit
It strychnine by the "wet-grain formula
s given above, has proved effective
n such places. Preliminary poisoning
= these mice on areas to be seeded
b pine is highly recommended. For see
r beds. poisoning on surrounding ares
e two or three times year will usual
preyent the approach Of mice and CIV
IL immunity to the planted seeds.
70 In parts of the Southern states
in large native mouse or rat, common
,e known as the cotton rat, often become
i'd a field pest.
h Cotton rats damage growing crops
,e some extent, but are especially destru
ir tive to grain in shocks. In many
+. their habits they are similar to meade
mice and they multiply fully as TAI
A. They chiefly inhabit weedy borders al
,e areas covered with old grass, whe
ct they are sheltered from enemies. Th'
.e. do not often attack the bark OF tree
ga but. being larger than meadow mit
"a. they are capable of destroying mu
Id more grain in a short time. They d
or stroy melons and other truck GRO
W. and have been a serious pest to da
"a. growers in Arizona.
er Cotton rats are easily poisoned
N. the same methods recommended
in destroying meadow mice.