438 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



beauty and liealth. The simplest remedy for the slug we know of, and that 

 most readily administered is, — selecting a quiet morning when the leaves are 

 ladeu with dew, — to throw up among the branches fine, dry coal ashes. By 

 this method both sides of the leaves AviJl be coated with the ashes and the slugs 

 killed or driven off. 



THE MOLE QUESTION. 



We are constantly hearing and reading conflicting opinions in reference to 

 the common mole {Sccdops aquaticus, Cuv.). Opinions and theories are more 

 or less valuable according as they are sustained by facts. These facts must be 

 facts, and not errors made by imperfect observers. No doubt the mole is often 

 confused with other animals which resemble him in many respects. All moles 

 of the same species may not behave alike. One man, perhaps, injures a mole 

 in catching it, for they are very tender, and it dies in six hours, or it eats no 

 vegetable food, and he concludes tiiat all moles would have died soon and 

 refused anytlung but insects and worms. 



I will give a few dates and numbers and details of some recent experiments, 

 and allow each one to draw his own conclusion. Some reason from the con- 

 struction of the teeth or tlie food in the stomach. If wc were to judge from 

 the teeth alone, we should conclude that dogs and cats were made to live solely 

 on animal food ; but we know that cats do eat other things, and dogs often 

 live for months without such food and become very fat. 



About July 5, I caught a mole and killed him at once. On dissecting the 

 stomach the next day, the main objects found were half -digested fragments of 

 larvaj of insects, some of worms, beetles, etc. There were some small pieces 

 of straws or stems of grasses, the largest being five-sixteenths of an inch long 

 and one-eighth of an inch broad. The question arose, Perhaps this vegetable 

 matter was in the stomachs of the food eaten by the mole? 



On July 13, 1877, about 2 P. M., a large flowerpot was set below the run of 

 a mole, and the pot covered lightly with botirds and earth. This was not ex- 

 amined till July IG, at noon. The mole was there in some soil which he had 

 crowded into the pot. He was placed in a nail-keg which was in good condi- 

 tion. Tiie keg was large enough to hold 100 lbs. of nails. One head was out. 

 Two or three inches of sand were placed in the bottom, and a board covered 

 the top quite tight. This was set in the barn at night. Six kernels of sweet 

 corn were dropped in. The corn was old, but had been partially cooked and 

 somewhat softened. On July 17, at 8 A. M., the soil was carefully looked 

 over, and the corn was all gone. Twelve kernels more of corn were put in, and 

 the keg moved near the kitchen door, to be certain that mice did not eat the 

 corn. At noon of the same day eight kernels of corn had disappeared, and before 

 night all were gone. On July 18, at noon, twelve more kernels were thrown 

 in, also a small raw new potato, an inch in diameter, cut through the middle. 

 On tlie 19th, at 10 A. M., two whole and one-half kernels of corn were found; 

 the [)otato was untouched. The keg was kept closely covered. Six red pie- 

 cherries were now put in, and at 5 P. M. one piece of the potato was found 

 much gnawed, while the whole of the cheri'ics, except two pits, had disa]ipeared. 

 There was no corn except a i)art of one kernel. The mole was let out, after 



