RODENTS 



1S35 



they are nuieh prized as food by the In- 

 dians. 



Methods of Destruction 



Traps may be used with good success. 

 and the Washington Experiment Station 

 states that they liave found this to be 

 the most desirable method of getting rid 

 of them. Ordinary steel traps No. or 

 No. 1 placed unbaited and as far down 

 in the burrow as the chains will permit. 



Poisouingr 



The following formula is recommend- 

 ed by Mr. Merriam. "Strychnia sulphate 

 one ounce, borax two ounces, crushed 

 wheat, rolled oats, acorn meal or corn 

 meal 20 pounds. Dissolve the strychnine 

 and borax in two quarts of hot water in 

 a closed vessel, stirring occasionally for 

 20 minutes or until completely dissolved. 

 Then add four quarts warm water (in 

 which one-fourth pound of honey may 

 be dissolved) and sprinkle the solution 

 over the crushed grain or meal, stirring 

 or mixing thoroughly until absorbed. 

 Half a teaspoonful of this should be 

 placed at the entrance of each occupied 

 burrow." Cut pieces of carrot and sugar 

 beet or other vegetable into which strych- 

 nine" crystals have been inserted are ef- 

 fective. Prunes and raisins so treated 

 have been recommended by several or- 

 chardists in this state. 



Crude bisulphide of carbon may l)e 

 used to a good advantage where the an- 

 imals are thick. Two persons working 

 together can cover considerable ground 

 in a day and destroy many squirrels. It 

 should only be placed in burrows where 

 squirrels have been seen to enter, other- 

 wise many empty burrows may be treated, 

 which is a waste of time and materials. 

 Using pieces of horse manure, corn cobs, 

 lumps of earth or other absorlient ma- 

 terial, pour about a tablespoonful of car- 

 bon bisulphide on each piece and throw 

 it as far down the burrow as possible, 

 immediately close the opening. This is 

 best done just after a rain, as the water 

 in the ground tends to keep the gas in 

 the burrow. 



Shooting is decidedly effective and 

 affords amusement during resting hours. 



'i'o Kill Large Ground Squirrels 



A. G. Cbajo 



Take four gallons cheap sugar and 

 enough water to make five gallons of 

 syrup. Heat to a boiling point and add 

 one and one-third ounces strychnine, and 

 boil for five minutes. The syrup can be 

 bottled and kept indefinitely. When 

 ready to use, saturate rolled barley with 

 the hot syrup. As much of the syrup 

 should soak into the barley as is pos- 

 sible. Place a large tablespoonful of the 

 mixture at one side of the holes. The 

 squirrels are very fond of the sweet bar- 

 ley and it is sure death. 



We have tried several things to soak 

 up the syrup but find that the rolled 

 barley gives the best satisfaction. Any 

 cheap syrup may be used in place of 

 sugar, so long as it is sweet enough. All 

 receptacles should be labelled "poison." 

 We have used it throughout the season, 

 but the squirrels can be controlled much 

 cheaper, by using the mixture as soon as 

 they come out in the spring. 



Field Mice 



H. F. W1L.SOX 



Perhaps these little animals cause far 

 more damage than they are accused of, 

 as they are directly responsible for a 

 great deal of the damage which is or- 

 dinarily laid to moles and shrews. 



The quantity of green vegetation eaten 

 by a single adult field mouse in the 

 course of a year has been calculated at 

 from 24 to 36 pounds, and on that esti- 

 mate a thousand would require twelve 

 tons of grass or other vegetation to main- 

 tain them for a year. 



Metliods of Desfruction 



Thorough cultivation of fields tends to 

 keep down the number of mice. Cultiva- 

 tion implies the destruction of weeds and 

 all the annual growths that provide 

 winter shelter for the animals. The mere 

 plowing of a field badly infested with 

 mice is sufficient to drive out most of 

 them. While a high state of tillage does 

 not always bring immunity from mice, it 

 does much to lessen the danger of attacks 

 from them. 



All things considered, strychnine is the 



