Kansas State Agricultural College, 



EXPERIMENT STATION. Circular No. 17. 



DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. 

 T. J. HEADLEE, Entomologist and Zoologist in Charge. 



PROTECTING TREES FROM RABBITS. 



BY 



J. C. CUNNINGHAM, Assistant in Horticulture. 



Protecting Trees From Rabbits 



In Kansas the damage done by rabbits is comparatively light 

 and yet many young orchards, young shade trees, and wind- 

 breaks, so much needed in our state, have been partially or 

 completely destroyed.* Repeated requests for advice as to 

 how to protect trees from their ravages has led to the pub- 

 lication of this circular,f which is based partly upon work 

 done at this station and partly upon that done elsewhere. 



CLEAN CULTURE. 



It is very important to remove all brush piles and thickets, 

 which may serve as breeding places and for safe hiding. 



TRAPPING. 



Traps of various sorts may be constructed. A simple and 

 successful method is to sink a barrel in the ground level with 

 its surface. Fit the head slightly smaller than the top and 

 allow it to swing freely on a rod or old broomstick. Pieces 

 of apple or grains of corn may be placed on the outer edge of 

 the cover and when the rabbit attempts to get these, the lid 

 tips up and he slides into the barrel, while the lid, which is 

 slightly heavier on one side than the other, assumes its 

 original position. The heavier side should strike against a 

 heavy nail or bolt so that only the lighter side of the lid will 

 drop. The whole thing should be covered over with brush 



* The investigations relative to injurious mammals is a part of the 

 work of the Department of Entomology and Zoology, but in this par- 

 ticular instance it was most convenient for Mr. Cunningham of the De- 

 partment of Horticulture to make the observations and get together the 

 information here given. The circular is published as a part of the 

 work of the Department' of Entomology and Zoology. 



t Aside from the work with the buttermilk and soot spray and with 

 the sunken barrel traps, this work is entirely compilation. 



