SUPPRESSION OF RODENTS 189 



because of its habit of- killing pocket-gophers, 

 is quite generally called the gopher-snake. A 

 writer in The Pacific Rural Press for May 12, 

 1888, says of the reptile : 



It is an act of insane folly to destroy them, for 

 they are the most active and efficient allies of the 

 nurseryman, farmer, and fruit raiser in the destruc- 

 tion of those most pernicious pests, the gopher and 

 the squirrel. They destroy more gophers than all 

 the appliances that man can bring to bear in the shape 

 of traps, poisons, and gases. 



On the whole, snakes, except the venomous 

 species, are deserving of the farmers' protec- 

 tion. Like the toad, the smaller kinds feed 

 almost wholly upon insects; but an inherent 

 prejudice induces thoughtless people at every 

 opportunity to destroy these friends of agri- 

 culture. 



Poisoning and fumigation. Undoubtedly the 

 most effective methods of getting rid of ro- 

 dent pests of all kinds is by poisoning them, 

 and by trapping them. Directions for doing 

 this applicable to the various kinds will be 

 found in the last chapter, and need not be 

 dwelt upon here. 



