COMMON - MAMMALS OK WKSTKKN MONTANA. 



only 22.2 per cent were uninjured. A rancher living near Florence 

 reports that during one winter the meadow mice killed 17") out of 

 I.ODO live-year-old apple trees and that he has had to fight the mice 

 ever since to keep them from killing more. Blackberry and rasp- 

 berry bushes, when not kept cleanly cultivated, are often girdled by 

 meadow mice. 



POISONING MEADOW MICE. 



Although damage to berry bushes and orchard trees can be avoided 

 by clean cultivation, it is at times desirable to poison meadow mice. 

 As these animals are much more fond of oats than of wheat, poisoned 

 hulled oals are best for poisoning them. To be effective the grain 

 preparation must be used early in the spring, as soon as the snow goes 

 off. Groats prepared as recommended in Formula I, with the amount 



Fig. 26. — Alfalfa field ruined by meadow mice during Nevada mouse plague of 1907-8. 



of strychnine reduced to 1 ounce to 40 quarts, should give excellent 

 results. "When groats are not available, crushed wheat may be used. 

 One ounce of strychnine sulphate dissolved in 2 gallons of water 

 should be sprinkled over and thoroughly mixed with the wheat. 



The following two preparations were very successfully used during 

 the Nevada mouse plague, and there is every reason to think that 

 they will be of equal value if used in the Northwest. 



FORMULA V. GREEN ALFALFA. 



Chopped alfalfa or clover 45 pounds. 



Strychnine sulphate 1 ounce. 



Water 1* gallons. 



484 



