HARES AND RABBITS 129 



Wherever the number of hares and rabbits is excessive in an 

 agricultural territory they are destructive to fruit trees, nur- 

 series, grape vines, and crops in general. In Iowa the cottontail 

 is abundant almost everywhere and is to be considered an enemy 

 of the fruitgrower and agriculturist. Jack rabbits are much larger 

 than cottontails, but are not common enough in Iowa to be of much 

 economic importance. However, on account of their large c-dze, 

 even if present in small numbers they may cause considerable 

 damage. 



"Rabbits are strict vegetarians, animal food never being eaten 

 by the adults. They eat all sorts of herbage leaves, stems, flowers 

 and seeds of herbaceous plants and grasses, and leaves, buds, bark, 

 and fruit of woody plants or trees. The most succulent kinds, 

 such as young shoots, tender garden vegetables, clover, alfalfa, and 

 fallen ripe fruits are generally preferred ; but when these fail, any 

 green vegetable growth seems to be acceptable, and the bark of 

 trees is often resorted to when deep snows cover other supplies or 

 during long summer droughts." 31 



Considerable damage by rabbits to trees and nursery stock is 

 reported from many parts of the state. At Corning, in 1915, it 

 is reported that most of the nursery sales during that season were 

 on stock to fill out orchards which had been damaged by rabbits. 

 Henry Field of the Henry Field Seed Company, Shenandoah, re- 

 ports more field damage from rabbits than frcm any other rodents. 

 Mr. Gwynn, manager of the Welch Nursery at Shenandoah, bears 

 out this statement, and says further that the greatest damage to 

 nursery stock is done in winter and early spring after heavy snows, 

 and particularly where drifts have blown up. Here small trees 

 are girdled and eventually die. Similar reports come from other 

 places in the state. 



Methods of control are considered under the discussion on the 

 cottontail. 



Rabbits are our commonest and most widely distributed game 

 animals, and during fall and winter are hunted persistently all 

 over the state. Since their meat is high in food value, this, in part, 

 makes up for some of their destructive qualities. The skins and 

 fur are also used in the industries. 



31 Lantz, D. E., Yearbook, U. S. Dept. Agriculture, 1907, 331. 



