430 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



POISONING POCKET (iOPHERS. 



The several species of pocket gophers in the United States differ 

 considerably, but they are much alike in their destructive habits and 

 are a pest Avherever they occur in cultivated lands. 



The pocket gophers of the Mississippi Valley and the southern 

 States east of the Mississippi belong to the genus Geomys, and are 

 readily poisoned with strychnine. The writer has had excellent suc- 

 cess in destroying them with various baits in the late fall and early 

 winter and reasonably good results at other seasons. Crystals of 

 strychnine may be inserted into pieces of potato, carrot, or sweet 

 potato, or in raisins, and the baits placed in the tunnels several feet 

 from the fresh mounds. If placed in the laterals near the mounds 

 they are likely to be pushed out by the animals in bringing out soil 

 and so not found. An instrument consisting of a spade handle shod 

 with a metal point and having a metal bar for the foot about 15 

 inches from the point is adinirabl}^ adapted to making openings into 

 the tunnels into which the baits may be dropped. The holes need 

 not be closed. 



With the instrument described it is possible for one man in a day 

 to distribute gopher poison on 30 to 40 acres of badly infested meadow 

 or alfalfa land. A sharp-pointed stick may be substituted for the 

 spade handle, but it can not be operated successfully in any but 

 loose soils. 



Corn soaked in strychnine sirup prepared as recommended for 

 poisoning prairie dogs is an excellent bait for pocket gophers. A 

 few kernels are dropped into holes made in runways as described 

 above. 



(For methods of trapping gophers, see revised edition of Circular 

 52 of the Biological Survey, " Directions for Destroying Pocket 

 Gophers," 1908.) . 



POISONING RABBITS. 



Rabbits, especially jack rabbits, are pests in many parts of the 

 West. Winter has proved the best time for poisoning them. In 

 summer the baits are often eaten by grasshoppers, and because of 

 the abundance of green foods, are much less likely to be taken by 

 rabbits. 



Pieces of apple, carrot, sweet potato, or melon rind are favorite 

 baits for rabbits. Crystals of strychnia sulphate are inserted in them 

 and they are left along rabbit runs, either on the ground or elevated 

 on short sticks. Artificial runs may be made in orchards with a drag 

 or one-horse scraper. Another excellent bait is oatmeal soaked in 

 a sweetened solution of strychnine. Bran or chop, prepared with 

 arsenic for poisoning grasshoppers, has sometimes proved effective 

 for rabbits. 



