2 FARM VERMIN, HELPFUL AND HURTFUL. 



idea thereof in another way. The destruction of the 

 pasture had told seriously on the stock ; the tenant calcu- 

 lated that the lamb crop during the two years had been 

 short by 1,200, valued at ;^8oo, and that 200 ewes, valued 

 at ;^4oo, had died of exhaustion in excess of the ordinary 

 death-rate. In addition to that, there was a deterioration 

 of the stock, which he put at 2s. a head on 3,000 sheep for 

 the first year and 4s. a head for the second year, amounting 

 to £'^00 ; added to which was the cost of hay and corn 

 used in feeding, to compensate for the loss of natural 

 pasture, ^1,200. In all, my informant estimated in this 

 way his losses at ;^35 3oo in two years. Even if this sum 

 were diminished by one-half, in order to bring it well 

 outside the limits of exaggeration, it is evident that the 

 periodical recurrence of the scourge is one well worthy of 

 the attention, not only of the Board of Agriculture, but 

 also of every class depending for their income on the 

 management of pastoral land. 



The Departmental Committee appointed in 1892 conducted 

 a searching inquiry into the origin and progress of the 

 latest outbreak in Scotland, and also collected records of 

 former visitations in this and other lands, and their 

 conclusions are embodied in a Parliamentary Blue-book,, 

 issued in the spring of 1893. They examined every known 

 or proposed means to avert or overcome the plague, and, 

 although obliged to acknowledge the inadequacy of every 

 expedient which has been tried, when once the voles had 

 possession of the ground, they recommended certain pre- 

 cautionary measures, which landlords, farmers, and shepherds 

 will do well to bear in mind. 



FIELD VOLE {Arvicola agrestis). 



The animal which caused all the trouble in this country 

 is the short- tailed field vole {Arvicola ^^^r^^/^i"), intermediate 

 in size between the common field mouse and a small rat^ 



