■13- 



a stump treatment or as a "frill" treatment. Stump treatment is 

 the application of the chemical to freshly cut stumps, thoroughly 

 drenching the entire stump surface. "Frill" treatment is done by 

 making cuts above the ground around the tree, using an axe or 

 hatchet in a downward motion to expose the "growing region" of 

 the trunk, and to leave openings to hold the material. These 

 cuts are then filled with the chemical. Frill treatment is a con- 

 venient and effective way to kill trees of larger diameter. 



Eradication of chokecherry with Ammate-X* is effective any 

 time of the year except when the ground is frozen, or when there 

 is snow or water on the ground around the trees. However, when 

 using this chemical, follow the instructions on the label care- 

 fu lly . For further information on brush control, you may obtain 

 tHe "1978 New England Chemical Brush Control in Non-Food Crop 

 Areas and in Christmas Tree Stands" circular from your Regional 

 Specialist . 



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MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION ON ORCHARD MOUSE CONTROL 



Edward R. Ladd 

 U. S. Department of the Interior 

 Fish and Wildlife Service 



We have checked a few orchards for meadow mice and find the 

 population is about the same as 1977. If it continues at this 

 level, orchardists can expect a high level of tree damage this 

 winter unless an adequate baiting program is performed. 



The bait application should be made in October after harvest 

 of the apple crop. Early application is usually not advisable 

 since meadow mice continue to reproduce until Fall. Consequently, 

 the mice that remain after an early bait application can easily 

 regain their reduced numbers by Fall. 



Meadow mice must have a dense cover of grass or other plants 

 for their survival. Thus, close and complete mowing of the entire 

 orchard will remove much of this needed cover and make the area 

 less attractive to mice. Time the mowing so that it will make 

 distribution of baits easier. 



In addition to mowing and baiting it is advisable to perform 

 these practices in buffer strips around as many tree blocks as 

 possible. In the past few years there have been several instances 

 where the outer rows of trees have received damage by mice in spite of 

 a good baiting program within the orchard. In these cases, the 

 mice may have moved in under snow cover from surrounding areas. 

 Although a buffer strip is not totally effective, it does increase 

 the travel distance for the mice and frequently will reduce damage 

 from mice migrating into the orchard. 



