Man and Nature 395 



had been made to cut down the weeds; and where they had 

 been mowed they had been raked into piles and not burned 

 or removed. 



"In this neglected orchard field mice the prairie vole 

 had found a congenial home. Already abundant in 1902, 

 they bred plentifully in the open fall of that year and in the 

 early warm spring of 1903. The ensuing moist summer also 

 was favorable for continued reproduction, and by the fall 

 of 1903 they were present in hordes. All the orchards of 

 the neighborhood a comparatively level upland prairie had 



APPLE TREE GIRDLED BY MEADOW MICE 

 Courtesy of the U. 8. Bureau of Biological Survey. 



been neglected and all were invaded by mice; but the one 

 above mentioned was the largest and most neglected, and 

 therefore it suffered most severely. By December 18, the 

 date of my first visit, mice had wholly or partially girdled 

 at the surface of the ground fully 5,000 apple trees and had 

 denuded of bark many of the low branches. The owners of 

 the orchard, thinking that none of the trees could survive the 

 injuries, then estimated their loss at from $25,000 to $30,000. 

 "Examination showed that the ground everywhere was 

 honeycombed by mouse burrows and tunnels to a depth of 

 3 or 4 inches, and that the surface was almost covered by a 



