362 Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



perience with specially prepared tablets sold under patented formulas 

 does not warrant us in recommending them. 



Several years ago the state, through a special agent, Prof. D. E. 

 Lantz, purchased the right to manufacture and distribute a certain pro- 

 prietary poison, the active principles of which are strychnine and cya- 

 nide of potassium. This poison was intended to be used in destroying 

 the prairie dogs on the cattle ranges of the West, but it was found that 

 by leaving out one ingredient the cyanide of potassium a very effi- 

 cient poison for pocket gophers could be prepared. After the state's 

 contract with the special agent had expired by time limit the work of 

 manufacturing and distributing this poison was turned over to the de- 

 partment of zoology in the college. The poison is put up in the form of 

 a syrup and sent out in quart cans to any part of the state. On each 

 can is a printed label giving the formula used in preparing the poison 

 and full directions for its use. Experiments personally conducted on 

 the station grounds and elsewhere have borne out the uniformly favor- 

 able reports, from alfalfa growers particularly, as to the merits of the 

 poison. We therefore recommend this poison syrup as the best means 

 we have discovered so far for the destruction of pocket gophers. The 

 syrup is sold by the college at 90 cents per quart can. 



The method of using this poison commends itself as a time saver. 

 Pour boiling water over as much shelled corn as you will need the quart 

 of syrup will poison a half bushel and let it stand several hours to 

 swell and soften. Drain off the water and pour over the grain enough 

 of the syrup to render it sticky when thoroughly stirred together. 

 Sweeten the mass with a little good table syrup and add a little cornmeal 

 to take up the excess moisture, but not enough to leave any dry meal. 

 Cork up the syrup can tightly and place it out of reach of children and 

 domestic animals. It will keep indefinitely and is ready for use at any 

 time. 



The soaked corn, poisoned as above, is introduced into the burrows of 

 the igophers, a few grains at a place, by means of an old spoon. Openings 

 into the burrows must first be made with a sharp stick a sharpened 

 broom handle will serve the purpose or a spade handle shod with an iron 

 point and having an iron foot-bar some distance from the end to aid in 

 making the thrust. Experience will soon enable one to tell when he has 

 struck the burrow, which can be located approximately by getting on a 

 line between two mounds of earth. After dropping in the poisoned grain 

 the hole may be left open, or if closed care should be taken not to allow 

 dirt to fall in and cover up the bait. If the hole is left open the gopher 

 is likely to be attracted by the light and find the bait the sooner. 



The same method of introducing the poison into the burrows is em- 

 ployed also when raisins and prunes or pieces of apple and potato are 

 used. The presence of freshly thrown-up mounds indicates that the 

 animal is extending his runways in that quarter, and it is best to con- 

 fine one's poisoning operations to such places. If the field can be dragged 

 over with a harrow or plank a few days after the poison has been put out 

 new mounds can be readily detected and fresh poison distributed. If the 

 work was thoroughly done in the first place it usually takes but a few 



