The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-05-23
HOW TO EXTER-
INMATE RODENTS
BY Gordon C. Brown

el lew DAYS ago tneN 1Norued many
/ persons an opportunity TO learn how
+ 10 exterminate the most important
rodent pests. principally moles goph-
/ ers and digger" squirrels Many,
however were not present at the
meetings ana for their benefit this
article is written The aim is 10
briefly summarize some OF the more
important points brought out.
I References For detailed infor-
nation secure the following bulle-
/ tins. Farmers Bulletin $50. This
Iaay be secured by writing to the Dt-
Vi ion of Publications, Washington,
ID C.; Circular %, Utah Experiment
Station, Logan Utah; April number,
monthly bulletin of tine California
/ State Commission of Horticulture,
Sacramento, California In addition
to the above valuable bulletins on
/ this subject may be obtained from
the Oregon Agricultural College, Cor
Wallis, and from the University Of
California, Berkeley.
The speakers pointed out how to
tell the difference between the work
of gophers and molcs The former
makes a mound more or less fan
shaped, whereas the mole makes one
which is circular Pocket gophers
are seldom seen. They live in the
underground tunnels from three TO
ten inches below the surface, where
they feed upon the roots of nearly
all kinds of crops. The tunnels are
extended as need of more food aris-
Is. Openings from the tunnels to
the surface are made at intervals of
a few feet, through which the loose
earth dug from the burrows is push
ed out The opening is then closed
by packing it full of earth. AS the
tunnel is extended, new opening is
made further along and a new mound
marks the line of progress
Gophers are solitary, more than
one rarely if ever occupies the same
bGrrow Judging from the great
number of mounds on a small area,
however, it is very probable that
they live in colonies.
Two methods of killing pocket
gophers are poisoning and trapping.
Poisoning is the more effective and
practical method The bats con
sist of poisoned sweet potatoes, pars-
nips or carrots Don't use vege-
tables which will become sloppy
The vegetable used should be cut
about one inch long and one-hali
inch square washed and drained
Sift over this from a pepper box the
following poison (which has been pre-
viously well ground together in a
mortar or dish Strychnine (poW
dcred alkaloid) 9 parts, saccharine
one part Place the bait in the bur
rev at the point of intersection Will
the opening
Another method has been found
practical The tunnels of the goph
e1 may be located by means Of a
probe This tool may be made from
a shovel or pitchfork handle by fit
ting into one end three-eghths
inch iron rod protruding about /.
in hes and bluntly pointed. By prob
ing this tool into the ground neal
gopher workings, or a foot or TIVE
back of fresh mounds, the open tm
mel may be felt as the iron poin
breaks into it. The hole may be en-
larged by pressing the probe agains
its sides or by using the opposite
blunt end of the instrument. One
on two bats are dropped into the
main tunnel, not in the short latelalS
which lead to the mounds, and the
probe holes closed,
Trapping is slow and requires
careful work Although any stee
trap may be used successfully, mucl
| better results are had with the spe
| cial traps made for these animals
| The regular Maccabee gopher tral
| ard the Reconstructed Maccabet
| gopher trap are examples of these
| special traps Trapping is effective
| Only on small areas where few goph
| ers are present Full directions ac
| company these traps. Moles canno
be poisoned. They can only bC
| trapped Many different types o
traps are found on the market, man,
of which are effective This is {
good job for children Mole skins
are now worth from so to so cents
apiece The "Out of Sight" moi,
tap is to be recommended
Poisoning Digger Squirrels.
Directions for poisoning digger
squirrels are as follows:
Barley (clean grain) .... 16 quart
/ Strychnine alkaloid (powderedD l OF
II bicarbonate of soda (baking
II poWder) ,-.,.,,..,..,.,.,. | o2
II Thin starch paste .....,.. "a pin
II Glycerine .t..,,..... ! tablespoonful
III
II SacCnaflne ....,,..,tt.+,..., l-lb O2
II Mix thoroughly one ounce of pow
II dered strychnine and one ounce o
II common baking powder Sift thi
II into threefourths of a pint of thin
II hot starch paste and stir to smooth
II creamy mass The starch paste i
H made by dissolving one heapin
II tablespoonful OF dry gloss starch i
II little cold water, which is the
II added to three-fourths pint of boi
III Al