The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-11-04
CONTROL OF FIELD
MICE IN ORCHARDS
W. f. CROUCH, RODENT CONTROL
LEADER, OF THE UNIVERSITY
TELLS HOW
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| Most of the injury to orchards cauS-
| ed by field mice in Idaho is done
| by the meadow mouse. Meadow mice
| SomtimeS increase in enormoos
numbers and inflict heavy damage by
girdling fruit trees. When present
even in ordinary numbers they cause
serious injury to orchards and nur-
series. The writer knows of several
instances in the Boise valley during
the fall of 1918 where more than 25
per cent of the fruit trees in some
orchards were killed oy meadow mice,
and the loss in one OF these orchards
amounted to $4,000. Their attacks on
trees are usually made in the fall and
winter, but may occur at any season
under shelter of dry litter or grow
ing vegetation. They usually begin
work soon after The green vegeta-
tion has been killed by frost.
The injury to trees and shrubs con-
sists in the destruction of the bark
just at the surface Of the ground, and
in some instances for several inches
above or below. When the girdling
is complete and the cumbium entirely
eaten through, the action of the sun
and win soon completes the destruc-
tion of the tree. If the injury is dis
covered before it is too extensive,
prompt covering Of the wounds US
ua1ly will save the tree.
In any case Of injury by meadow
mice, heaping up fresh soil so as to
cover the wound and prevent evapora-
tion is recommended as the simplest
remedy. To save large trees bridge
grating may be employed.
The presence of meadow mice is in
dicated by their many rnnways or !
trails, which are mainly on the sur |
face of the ground under dead grass,
weeds or other trash.
The first step in protection against |
by meadow mice is orch |
ard sanitation by clean cultivation or
the burning of all dead grass, weeds,
or other trash in and about the orch
ard.
Ordinary mouse traps of the gull
letine type, baited with rolled oats or
crushed wheat and set in the mouse
trails, will suffice to free a small
area of this pest; but for large areas
Or for operation against considerable
numbers of these mice poisoned bats
Ire more effective.
For poisoning meadow mice the
'ollowing methods are recommended:
Dry Grain Formula.
Mix thoroughly / ounce powdered
5trychnine alkaloid, / ounce powder
ID bicardonate of soda (baking soda
md Il ounce of saccharine. Sift this
mixture over 40 pounds of crushed
wheat, in a metal tub, mixing the
IN dicfr
he poison evenly.
Starch Paste Formula.
Mix 1 tablespoonful Of gloss starch
n u teacup of cold water, and stir
nto u pint of boiling water to make
clear paste. Mix / ounce of powd-
red strychnine alkaloid with 1
unce q tablespoonfuD of baking
oda, and stir with the paste to a
creamy mass free of Jumps
,tir in this " pint of corn sirup. APP
ly to 40 pounds of clean wheat and
nix thoroughly to coat each kernel.
The poisoned grain prepared by {
ither OF the above formulas is to be
istributed over the infested area, not
lore than a teaspoonful at place,
are being taken to put it in mouse
rails and at the entrance to burrows.
o avoid destroying birds it should,
vhenever possible, be placed under
uch shelters as straw, brush or other
tier, or under boards. Small drain s
les IN inches in diameter some
mes have been used to advantage to
old poisoned grain, and old tin cans
18th the edges bent in so they are
bout ~ inches apart will serve the
anne purpose. The poisoning to be
Elective, must be carried out system $
tically so that no mouse runways are
mitted, and care must be taken to get n
ait directly into the used ruuWayS.