492 THE HANDBOOK FOR PRACTICAL FARMERS 



evenly distributed. Poison should be applied as soon as pota- 

 toes are cut and bait should be put out while fresh. 



The poisoned bait is to be distributed over the infested area, 

 not more than a teaspoonful at a place, care being taken to put 

 it in mouse runs and at the entrances to burrows. To avoid 

 destroying birds it should, whenever possible, be placed under 

 such shelters as piles of weeds, straw, brush, or other litter, or 

 under boards. Small drain tiles one and one-half inch in diam- 

 eter have sometimes been used to advantage to hold poisoned 

 grain, and old tin cans with the edges bent nearly together will 

 serve the same purpose. 



Young fruit trees may be protected from mice and rabbits by 

 keeping down the weeds, protecting the bark with a fine mesh 

 wire, one thickness placed about the trunk and by packing the 

 light snow tightly about the trees during early winter and late 

 spring. 



Cotton rat. — Damage done. — Destroys growing crops and 

 grain in shocks. 



Control. — The same poisoned bait used for field mice will 

 destroy the cotton rat. 



Common rats. — The common rat may be baited with the same 

 poisons as recommended for meadow mice. Steel traps are also 

 effective. 



Pocket gophers. — Damage done. — Throw up mounds, burrow 

 in the fields, eat growing grain and vegetables. Destroy trees by 

 gnawing the roots. 



Control. — Trapping is an effective method of keeping the 

 gophers in check. 



In irrigated districts, where w^ater is available, flooding the 

 land will drive out the animals, and they may be killed by men 

 and dogs. Fumigation of the burrows with carbon bisulphid or 

 wdth sulphur smoke, Avhile often recommended as a means of 

 destroying pocket gophers, has been found extremely uncertain 

 and costly. 



Poison for pocket gophers. — Cut sweet potatoes or parsnips 

 into pieces with the largest diameter less than an inch. Wash 

 and drain four quarts of the cut baits. Place in a metal pan, 

 and from a pepperbox slowly sift over the dampened baits one- 

 eighth ounce of powdered strychnine (alkaloid) and one-tenth 

 as much saccharin (well shaken together or ground together in 

 a mortar), stirring to distribute the poison evenly. 



Ground squirrels. — Damage done. — Destroy fields by burro^v- 

 ing through irrigation ditches and also by eating growing crops. 



