58 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



corn, will prevent their depredations ; and it is added, in a note, 

 that their ravages had run to such a height, in some parts of 

 France, as to have ruined the farmers ! The mode adopted in that 

 country for their destruction is also given : " At Angerville, whole 

 farms have been given up to the proprietors, in consequence of 

 their continued devastation ; and the only method known of 

 checking them is to defer the sowing any grain until spring, which 

 precaution occasions them to forsake the fields, as it deprives them 

 of the means of winter subsistence." The method adopted in the 

 Forest of Dean, the ravages committed in which we have described 

 above, and which proved efficacious to the fullest extent, after all 

 others had failed, consisted in boring holes in the ground, to the 

 depth of twenty inches, wider at the bottom than at top, in which 

 was dropped some favorite food. The mice willingly entered, and 

 from the form of the hole, being prevented from getting out again, 

 were taken in such numbers as speedily rid the ground of them. 

 One of the best pieces of advice on this subject is the following : 

 " Let the farmer first consider the nature and quality of his ground, 

 and which fields are, from the nature of their soil, most likely to 

 harbor the intruders, also in what places they are most mischievous. 

 Let him never sow these under furrow, i. e., until the intruders 

 have been expelled ; for that method of cropping deprives him of 

 the power of combating his enemies. They work under ground, 

 as it were, and will never come in the way of his poison. When 

 these fields have been sown otherwise, and harrowed over, the mice 

 must come upon the surface, and dig down for the corn, and they 

 will then certainly meet with anything he lays on the ground for . 

 them." So far, so good. The author proceeds to point out the 

 description of poison to be employed. This is, " a peck of barley 

 meal, a pound of powder of white hellebore root, and four ounces 

 of powder of staves-acre, and when these are all mixed together 

 by sifting through a coarse hair-sieve, add half a pound of honey, 

 and as much milk as will work the whole into a paste. Let this 

 be broken in pieces, and scattered over the field at the time when 

 the mice are known to be coming. They will eat it greedily, and 

 it is certain death to them. There is nothing in any of the ingre- 

 dients disagreeable to the taste when thus mixed ; and every mor- 

 sel of it will be devoured. The mice will be kept from digging 

 after the corn, and, at the same time, will be killed by the ingre- 

 dients." I have heard farmers who had tried the above, speak 

 favorably of it. But the most successful remedy of ^ lich I have 



