The sun., 1918-12-29

An editor Of a western New York
daily paper IL troubled about the field
mice that are destroying his trees and
shrubs.
Field mice are one OF the most
troublesome pests OF the garden and
farm. 1 visited n farm not far from
Newton. N. j.. some years & where
the field mice were so numerous that
they ran over the floors and the beds
In the farmhouse at night.
The short tailed field mice have
many names commonly applied to
them, such as meadow mice, voles,
&c. There are many species and
races; all that live in surface runways
and build both subterranean and sur
face nests may for general purposes
be considered field mice.
These troublesome little animals
breed several times n season n pro-
duce litters Of from 6 to 10.
The runs OF field mice are usually
on the surface. under leaves, weeds,
brush. grass. litter or snow. The runs.
branching Off in all directions, can be
found by carefully separating the litter
with the hands.
In summer the nests are made OF
dried grass. hidden in the grass or
litter in the meadows. In winter shall
low burrows are made and lined with
dried grass.
Field mice do great damage to crops
of various kinds and to trees and
shrubs. They cut down grain and
clover, spoil seeds, bulbs and vege-
AAAln- rH-H- asN,oI.- L.. rtsNA .aIAr
the snow are particularly annoying.
q 8 at this season gardeners are not
on the lookout for trouble, expecting
animal life. like plant life. to be a
rest at this season, n the mice
busily ply their DESTRUCTIVE work with
out interference. They have been
known to almost wholly destroy large
orchards OF young trees and old trees
are sometimes killed. The damage
done every year by field mice is very
great and If the total could be figured
It would undoubtedly be well up In
the millions Of dollars.
The damage Is caused by the dc
struction Of the bark at the surfac,
OF the ground, or below or above II
When the inner or Cambium bark is
eaten through and the tree girdled tn
death of the tree must follow.
A careful watch should be kept, an
IL the injury is not too great prompt!
covering the wounds by heaping VI
fresh earth about the trunk so as t.
cover the wound may save III tree
On small trees covering the wound
with grating wax is the best remedy
To ave large trees bridge grating is
sometimes employed.
Pine mice, which are somewha'
shorter than field mice and have q
much shorter tail, are numerous and
troublesome. They live mainly in the
woods. along hedges and fence rows
and spread out into gardens and culti-
waited fields through their -wn bur
rows or those of the mole. In many
cases moles are blamed for tho work
OF the pine mice. ! have seen the
work OF pine mice that farmers de-
clared to be the work Of moles and
offered as proof Of the destructive
work OF the mole. Moles live princi-
pally on insects and earthworms and
rarely do any damage by eating vege-
table matter.
The pine mice are more dangerous
than field mice because their work is
always lone under cover and is only
found on digging about the tree and
exposing the trunk below the surface
of the soil. The roots OF small trees
are frequently found cut completely
In two.
Do not use straw or litter about
young trees that are heeled in in the
autumn and see that the tall grass
M litter is removed from around the
trunks of large trees and shrubs. II
mice are expected tramp the first snow
that falls firmly about the trees. This
will compact the grass so the mice
will not find shelter. Shingles or
barrel slaves can be tied about the
trees or window screen wire in the
autumn. Remove the protection early
In the spring.
A wash is sometimes used COMPOSED