214 THE BOOK OF ALFALFA 



Gophers are easily poisoned. They are fond of pota- 

 toes, sweet potatoes, apples, raisins and prunes. The 

 presence of strychnine, arsenic or other poisons does not 

 seem to deter them from eating the food ; but if the poison 

 is sweetened they seem to eat it more readily. In sum- 

 mer it may be desirable to sweeten the poison, but in the 

 fall and early spring it does not seem worth while. The 

 poisoned food being introduced to the burrows below the 

 surface, there is no danger of poisoning stock. It might 

 be well, however, not to let swine run in the fields for a 

 time after the poison has been put out. 



The following method of introducing poison is rec- 

 ommended : Cut the potatoes or other food into pieces 

 not more than three-fourths of an inch in diameter. Cut 

 a slit in each piece and with a point of the knife blade 

 insert a little sulphate of strychnine ; as much as half the 

 bulk of a grain of wheat. Having prepared the bait in 

 sufficient quantity, go to the field armed with a round, 

 sharp-pointed implement an inch or an inch and a half in 

 diameter and of sufficient length. The tool here illus- 

 trated was made by a blacksmith. 



m 



It is a spade handle shod with an iron point. A bar 

 is attached about fifteen inches from the point to enable 

 the operator to use his foot in pressing it into the soil. 

 With this tool it is only necessary to find the runway of 

 the gopher. The handle is sufficiently thick to make a 

 hole large enough to permit one to drop the poisoned 

 potato directly into the burrow. The operator then passes 



