POISONING ANIMALS AND BIRDS ^gi 



overvo'uTn^f ^^T^LJ^l W ** -me disinfectant 



The following is also commended as a repellant rather less of- 

 fensive to administer : 



One pint of cod liver oil, one ounce of black leaf "40" two bars of 

 laundry soap, 25 gallons of water. Heat water to boiling point and add 

 above ingredients; then mix in enough flour to make a thin soup This 

 may be applied to young trees with a brush. 



Rabbit Poison. Pieces of watermelon rind, cantaloupe, or other 

 vegetable of which they are very fond, may be poisoned with strych- 

 nine, and then scattered along trails used by the rabbits. They 

 will not touch the bark as long as they can find this bait, and one 

 meal is effective, for the rabbit never goes far away from it 



Another preparation is half a teaspoonful of powdered strych- 

 nine, two teaspoonfuls of fine salt, and four of granulated sugar. 

 Put all in a tin box and shake well. Pour in small heaps on a board. 

 It hardens into a solid mass. They lick it for the salt, and the 

 sugar disguises the poison, which kills great numbers. 



Mr. C. F. Collins, formerly horticultural commissioner of Tulare 

 county, says that the following is effective. Thoroughly mix 4 

 parts of Paris green and 6 parts flowers of sulphur dust upon the 

 vines in the same manner as if sulphuring the vines for mildew. 

 This will, he says, kill and repel rabbits and control mildew. 



The following formula is suggested by D. A. Gilchrist, U. S. 

 biological survey, as an effective tree wash for protection against 

 rabbits : 



"Dissolve one ounce strychnine sulphate in three quarts of boiling 

 water and add one-half pint of laundry starch, previously dissolved in one 

 pint of cold water. Boil this mixture until it becomes a clear paste. Add 

 one ounce of glycerine and stir thoroughly. When sufficiently cool, 

 apply to trunks of trees with a paint brush. Rabbits that gnaw the bark 

 will be killed before the tree is injured." 



SQUIRRELS AND GOPHERS 



There is in operation a forced system of destroying ground 

 squirrels under a special law being administered by the county 

 'horticultural commissioners, and all details can be had from such 

 officers or from the State Directors of Agriculture at Sacramento. 

 Full details of the life histories of ground squirrels and gophers can 

 be had by applying to the University Experiment Station at Berk- 

 eley for Circular 181 and Bulletins 281 and 302. These publications 

 describe methods of killing by fumigation, trapping and poisoning 

 which will enable any energetic fruit growers to overcome these 

 pests. 



DESTRUCTIVE BIRDS 



Fruit growers generally appreciate the value of insectiverous 

 birds, but there are feathered pests which do such ruinous work 

 in disbudding the trees in springtime and in destroying the ripe 



