MISCHIEF OF MEADOW-MOUSE 73 



each tree with wire or cord. Tarred paper 

 should never be used on very young trees, and 

 when used on others should not be left in place 

 during the summer, since it may injure the 

 growing tree. 



Various paints and washes have been recom- 

 mended to prevent attacks of mice and rabbits 

 in orchards. The majority of these are with- 

 out merit and some of them are liable to kill 

 young trees. Some of the washes require re- 

 newal after every hard rain. In experiments 

 with a wash of whale-oil soap, crude carbolic 

 acid, and water, for apple trees, it was found 

 that in about forty-eight hours the carbolic acid 

 had so far evaporated that mice renewed their 

 work upon the bark. Blood and grease, said to 

 give immunity from rabbit attacks, would invite 

 the attention of field-mice. 



Reports recently received by the Biological 

 Survey seem to indicate that the ordinary lime- 

 and-sulphur wash, recommended for the winter 

 spraying of trees to destroy the San Jose scale, 

 is an effective preventive of the attacks of both 

 mice and rabbits. The wash is very cheap 

 (from 1 to 2 cents a gallon when prepared in 



