RABBITS AND POCKET GOPHERS 



323 



Fortunately, rabbits are good for food, and in most regions 

 hunting is the chief means of keeping them in check. In 

 localities where jack rabbits are very abundant, many 

 people sometimes combine to make a "rabbit drive" in 

 which practically all the rabbits for miles around are driven 

 into a wire fence inclosure where they are killed by the 

 thousand. 



Fortunately, also, rabbits are easily trapped. Most coun- 

 try boys have caught them in the figure-four traps. The 

 Wellhouse trap 

 is an improve- 

 ment upon this 

 and is readily 

 made by follow- 

 ing the direc- 

 tions at the end 

 of this chapter. 

 In large or- 

 chards two or 

 three such traps to each acre of trees will keep the rab- 

 bits in check so that little or no damage will be done by 

 them. 



Rabbits are also destroyed by poisons, but this method 

 should only be used by men who will see that there is no 

 possibility of harm to children, domestic animals, or useful 

 birds. Injuries to trees are prevented by guards of wire 

 screening placed around the trunk. Various washes are 

 also helpful in preventing damage to trees. One of the 

 best of these is the lime-sulphur wash used to destroy 

 the San Jose scale. A liberal spraying or brushing of 

 the bark with this late in autumn is a protection for the 

 winter. 



DETAILS OF WELLHOUSE RABBIT TRAP 



