THE MOUSE PEST 71 



There is very little doubt that in many gardens mice 

 are the worst pests of all, since, if they once set to work 

 upon the seeds, they will come in goodly numbers, and 

 the more of the palatable food they can find, the better 

 their appetites will become and the more damage they will 

 do. It is no uncommon thing, when precautionary measures 

 are not adopted, for practically the whole of the seeds sown 

 in pots or boxes in frames and greenhouses to be devoured ; 

 and this means not only loss of seeds, but, what is even 

 more annoying in the generality of instances, loss of time 

 in the production of blossoms. Out-of-doors, too, the 

 visitors will unerringly attack the best varieties, and leave 

 anything that is common or inferior either severely alone, 

 or until they have exhausted the good things of the earth, 

 and are compelled either to go hungry away afterwards or 

 partake of what still remains at their disposal. 



Prevention, when the seeds are sown under glass, is 

 simplicity itself ; a square of glass placed over each pot 

 or box will keep the small marauders safely at bay. The 

 danger lies up to the stage of germination, and not beyond 

 it, and if we can protect the seeds, the plants, as far as 

 mice are concerned, are sure to go along all right. In 

 addition to the glass, traps of any convenient form and 

 make should be kept set, as it is desirable not only that the 

 mice should be stopped from attacking the seeds in the 

 boxes, but also from going abroad again and taking toll 



