USE OF POISONS FOR DESTROYING NOXIOUS MAMMALS. 429 



The strychnine will be precipitated by the cyanid, and when the 

 poison is placed in a can and allowed to stand will settle at the 

 bottom. The poison should be kept closely corked until used. 



A gallon of this poisoned sirup is enough to poison two bushels 

 of wheat. Before it is mixed wdth the wheat it should be thoroughly 

 stirred or shaken, and a few pounds of corn meal added to make 

 the sirup adhere to the grain. This preparation may be used imme- 

 diatel}^ Another wa}^^ is to add more water and leave the wheat 

 over night to absorb the strychnine. 



The potassium cyanid in this formula makes the poison a quick 

 killer Avhen first put out. The quantity of strychnine is probably 

 somewhat in excess of actual requirements. 



Green alfalfa or alfalfa hay for poisoning prairie dogs should be 

 chopped into short lengths and sprinkled with strychnine water or 

 sirup until thoroughly wet. A large metal washtub should be used 

 as a mixing vessel. An ounce of strychnia sulphate dissolved in a 

 half gallon of water Avill prepare 30 pounds of green alfalfa ; or the 

 same quantity of strychnine dissolved in 3 or 4 gallons of water will 

 prepare 20 pounds of alfalfa hay. 



POISONING GROUND SQUIRRELS. 



Ground squirrels are a serious pest in many parts of the West. 

 The larger species are usually more difficult to poison than the 

 smaller ones; but as they ordinarily eat more food, the difference in 

 the formulas is less than one might expect. For the smaller ground 

 squirrels, use — 



1 ounce strychnia sulphate, 

 35 pounds clean wheat, 



2 gallons water. 



Dissolve the strychnine in the water in a large mixing vessel. 

 Then pour in the wheat and allow all to simmer for an hour, the 

 vessel being covered. Stir occasionally. The water will probably 

 be entirely absorbed by the grain, but if not, a little corn meal will 

 take up the extra moisture. If preferred, the strychnine may first 

 be dissolved in a pint of boiling water, the ingredients then mixed in 

 a large vessel, and all left over night to absorb the poison. Dis- 

 tribute the poisoned wheat, a half teaspoonful at a place, at the mouth 

 of the squirrel burrows. Do not scatter broadcast on account of the 

 danger of killing birds. 



For the larger ground squirrels reduce the quantity of wheat in 

 the above to 25 pounds and the water in proportion. Experiments 

 in California in destroying the digger ground squirrel {Citellus 

 heecheyi) with pieces of sugar beets into which crystals of strychnia 

 sulphate had been inserted with a knife gave good results. 



