Show I SHIELD TREES FROM RABBITS IN WINTER When Vegetable Food Is Not Available They Often Harm Trees by y Eating Bark By D. D C. C MOORING Rabbits are very particular as to what they eat and feed only on vegetable vegetable vege vegetable vege- vege table matter They prefer the more succulent kinds such as vegetables clover clove alfalfa fallen fruit etc When none of these foods are available they often eat the bark of trees especially when snow covers other food It is very easy to prevent rabbits from injuring trees and all cases of of damage are due tine to neglect rather than to a lack of efficient remedies A number of preventives all of which are efficacious are sire given below Your premises should not afford hiding places for rabbits such as briar patches brush piles etc This Is not meant to include green cover crops in the orchard as is stated above green and succulent food i is preferred by the rabbits and an orchard with witha a cover crop above the snow is seldom if ever injured Traps are very effective in catching rabbits The more traps you ou have so much the better This Is not so economical economical economical eco eco- a method as as poisoning for protecting the tIle trees but It furnishes amusement amusement- for the children and also provides s some me meat for the table There are two general ways was of poisoning poisoning poisoning poi poi- rabbits namely 1 by placing placing ing poisoned water wate in their runs especially especially especially espe espe- during dry weather 2 by placing poisoned food where they can canet get et it The following which was originally recommended by the Ohio Experiment station has given good satisfaction One part sulphate of third one-third part borax one part wI white syrup ten parts water Shake well and apply to tender twigs with brush or by dipping and distribute ute the poisoned twigs around the trees Where the planting is valuable enough h to justify the expense a woven wire fence Is desirable as It will exclude the rabbits Wire window screening is frequently frequent frequent- I ly used and Is cut into strips 18 to 24 Inches long and 9 to 12 inches wide This is put around the trunks of the trees In U the e form of tubes with the lower end pressed into the ground This tube Is tied with wire I Wooden veneer strips of about the I same dimensions as the wire screen i give g good od results They should be soaked in water wate before attempting to fold around the trunk of the tile tree Wire is best for t tying them asIt as asIt asit It is durable and does not necessitate renewing Corn stalks building paper an and and- common wrapping paper are some of tIre the other things frequently used They are arc efficacious I If applied in such a manner that they prevent the rabbit Ol era getting his mouth to the bark of the trees There hn have e been a n number of washes and paints of various kinds recommended as being effective against rabbits The disadvantage of these washes washer 1 li is that heavy rains ruins w wash ash them off and anci make It necessary to to repeat the application It Is not difficult to find d or 01 devise preparations which will keep rabbits awa away Rabbits are very particular about their food and any taint on the tree will keep keel them from injuring it On this account hog Intestines intestines intestines in In- and other cheap meat products products products prod prod- rubbed on the trees have given good results They The will be effective as long as the the- taint remains on the tree and no longer Another wash which has hns given considerable considerable considerable con con- satisfaction is made by slakIng slaking slaking ing one peck of fresh stone lime with soap suds Thin to the consistency of whitewash add one half gallon of crude carbolic acid four pounds of sulphur and one gallon of soft soap Paint the trunks of the trees as before before before be be- fore in the autumn The United States Department of Agriculture recommends the lime- lime sulphur wash as having given thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- satisfactory results This wash consists of lime 20 po pounds flowers vers of sulphur 15 pounds water 50 gallons The rhe lime sulphur and third one-third of the tIle water are aie boiled t together together to to- gether for one hour and then the rest of the water is added By adding salt the wash will stick better |