THE GARDEN MOLE. 115 



poison a little distance from the opening. Then seal up 

 the hole with a lump of earth or sod, being careful that 

 none drops in on the poison, and put the dirt back as 

 it was before. The gopher will soon return to his labor, 

 and will seldom fail to pick up the bait. 



It is often useless to put poison in holes left open by 

 gophers when at work, as they shove the poison out with 

 the dirt, and it becomes lost. If a hole is opened and 

 poison placed therein, it should be closed up again, as 

 the gopher, seeing the light and feeling the air where 

 it was not intended, goes to work to remedy that evil 

 by shoving a load of dirt against the opening, thereby 

 covering up or throwing out the bait. 



Sometimes the same poisoned grain used for squirrels 

 can be successfully used for gophers by placing it in the 

 runways as first described. 



The Mole. The mole is an insect-eater and as such is 

 beneficial, but he destroys so many plants while mining 

 for grubs and worms, that the gardener can well dispense 

 with his services. The best way to do this is to watch 

 for the rising soil and, striking in just behind the mole 

 with a spade or shovel, throw him out and finish him. 

 When he is working in the lawn or the ground is too 

 hard for this treatment, strike into the moving earth with 

 a hatchet. It generally arrives and we have killed more 

 moles in this way than in any other. 



