INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1904. 



155 



mind that strychnine is a deadly poison, and that any stock eating 

 baits poisoned in this way would most certainly die. Corn poi- 

 soned in a solution of strychnine — see under Gophers — will kill 

 those which are eating the corn. If fruit trees are injured, in addi- 

 tion to the poisoned bait, they may be wrapped with woven wire, 

 or paper or poultry netting; the latter should be wound around 

 the tree several times. Two correspondents, taking a humane view, 

 say, if they or the cotton-tail are fed with corn, oats or wheat 

 screenings in orchard they are not likely to eat bark. This may 

 be so, but if our apple trees were exposed we would not dare to 

 trust them. 



Fig. 147.— A Young "Jack," from Life. 



Cotton-tail Rabbits: Sweet apples, poisoned, as described un- 

 der Jack Rabbits. We would suggest putting out of their reach, 

 while poisoning, all other apples except the poisoned ones, which 

 should be fresh. Watermelon rind or carrots may be used in the 

 same way, though they are particularly fond of sweet apples. One 

 correspondent suggests putting out pieces of apple on little sticks 

 when the snow is deep, so that the bait is raised conspicuously 

 above the surface. He choses moonlight nights for this. Building 

 paper, newspapers, burlap, straw, corn stalks or wire screen placed 

 around trunks of trees are often effective. Some boil strychnine 

 until dissolved and then soak corn in same. A handy gun, if sup- 

 plemented by a good dog so much the better, is useful at times. 

 The inadequateness of the so-called rabbit proof fence when the 

 snow is deep and drifted is well shown in our illustration (Fig. 



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