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Show POCKET GOPHERS COST An FARMERS PRETTY PENNY o no riousl . ( - Bri Directions for the Destruction of tlio Little Peats-By David 'n?.lJ E. Liintz, Asalntnnt, U. S. Durcnu Dlologicul Survey. 0 toll 2 . stfil5, Pockot gophers Infest ull tlio states tho I .nn,l territories went of tlio Mississippi, u'ol , I mid parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Flor- g nVl 1 da, Georgia, mid Alabama. 'I' hoy oc- ' gnsfi -cur iiIro In southwestern Cnnnilii and o muj ovor tliu grenter pait of Mexico. All ' ! tlio spoclcB live underground In mini- coii pi fylng tunnels, mid ull bring to tlio sur- rfilcl fllco 'lunntltlos of earth, which 1b n ( heaped up In tlio Hhapu of nioiindfl. j- ,-n Tho linhltB of those animals aro ovory- ' whero much tho same. " t j Throughout their range pockot goph- .rRy era aro very destructive to cropH. Thoy oat tho roots of fruit tioes and In thin nK way sometimes ruin wholo orchards 'Jonc Thuy oat hoth roots and tops of do- J' 1,1 vor, alfalfa, grasBOB, grains nnd vego- "t,,ln$ tables, and uro especially hiirmfiil to Fig. 1 Mississippi Val ley Pocket Gopher. uplcs potntocH nnd other tuberous eropB. Holm Ho-lm rl( Hides this, thoy throw up Innumer wnx. able mounds of earth in meadows, ho lit pastures, and grain lloldB, which cover iltryj nl,l destroy far more of tho crop than t lM Is eaten by tho animals or killed by M CXp having tho roots cut off. These mounds nrg, also prevent closo mowing, so that tl,0 rj much of tho hay crop Is lost, and tho ,,wa pebbles thoy contnln often break or In- ' pj jure farm machinery. Tho loss duo . to gopher mounds In tho clover and I f, if alfalfa fluids In soino of tho western . Btntes Iiiib been conservatively estl- w mated at one-tenth of tho entlro crop. ' I It. ninny of tho furtllo valleys whero p to t Fig. 3. A Type of Gopher Trap Which Tho li Has Deen Used with Success In Cab mil li Ifornla and Other Parts of the West. ' . most formldablo of tho farmer's mam- r?. j malinn onemlos. In addition to nil this, v Bl In tho far west thoy burrow In tho A.cn9 banks of Irlgatlon ditches nnd thus promt caiiBO extonslvo breaks, tho repair of 't C,P! which results In tho expenditure of vices,; much time nnd money. vlnB Pockot gophers may bo dcBtroyed by 0 1180 1 poison, by trnps, and by the use of bll8,l carbon blBiilphld. Const) Poisoning with strychnine Is tho ouscil most effectlvo means known for kill n ll(l Ing pocket gophers, and, ob It Involved o of , the least expenditure of money and nployi labor, tho biological Burvoy recom id his mcndB It for general use. Ab a rodent the jl poison to bo used by farmers, strych- Tho i nlno hns Bovornl advantages. Its uc. nts j Hon Is sure, Its deadly charnctor Is i08, 2! known to must pursons, and Its bitter iciuii: crsonj tnsto Is an additional snfegunrd against f thffi mistaking It for a harmless drug. ;ilt L Strychnia aulphato 1b tho moBt con- ,ml(0 j venlent form of tho poison, bIiico It Is ,i,u ot freely soluble In hot wator and In tho ..(jriJ natural Juices of vegetables used as ;t..,J bait. To disguise Its bitterness so cdde'i that rodents may not be dotorred from (jgjjlJ eating tho baits, sugar Is often cm- BrJ ployod, or tho strychnine may bo "v,,cr0 mixed with Its own bulk ot commor- j.ther'' clal saccharine. A sugar syrup pol- A'ell. ' soned with strychnlin may bo used Umi with excellent results. It Is propared irom q 08 follows: oughs DIbsoIvo an ounce of strychnia sul- llrlor '. phato In a pint of boiling wntor. Add been I a pint of thick sugar syrup, and stir nionthj thoroughly. Tho syrup Is usunlly Jd wll scented by adding a few drops of oil dliys. of anUo, but this Is not essential. If ' Tho preserved In a closed vessel, tho syrup hns st will keep Indefinitely, stops 1 Tho above quantity Is Hiitllclcnt to t'10 e'' poison a half bushel of shelled corn or ')V lml other grain (corn recommended). Tho n, ,?Jni grain Is steoiied In hot water and al- f'Pi,,-?' lowed to soak over night. It Is then -'' drained and soaked for several hours "lu In tho poisoned syrup. Dofore using, "b li , corn menl may bo added to take up a B,rj tho excess of moisture. J Dry cryiitals of strychnine also may ,, ifl bo used. Thoy aro introduced, by ,llHCl,n moans o'. a knife, Into small pieces ot tiato'ti potato, enrrot, or sweot jiotato, or Into nijj the entire rnlBins or dried prunes. A . 3 Blnglo Inrgo crystal (or Bovoral small tlonr ones), Is enough for each bait. Hats- tj'j'B y ' Ins f.io especially recommended bo- tjjjj causo they nro easily handled and con- ph'iiBt hlblt, it Iqd tain enough sugar to disguise tile bitterness bit-terness of tho poison. Pocket gophers In ditch hanks may ha poisoned In the following manner: Select tho freshest hill or mound nnd with a narrow garden trowel follow tho soft earth of the tunnel until tho main runway (c, Klg. 2), Is reached. Hy noting the direction from which the earth was pushed out and locating locat-ing tho closed entrance, tho burrow may bo readily followed and tho main runway quickly found. Tho poisoned raisin, corn, or small potato should bo placed well back In the main runway and tho opening closed. It Is usual for ono gopher only to occupy tho burrows bur-rows connected with a group of hills, and when the burrow remains open it Indicates that the animal has boon killed. Trapping Is a successful method when followed Intelligently and per slstontly. It Is especially adapted to small Holds, orchards, gardens, and lilgatlou embankments, whore only a few gophers are present; hut In the case of large arras that aro badly In fested, tho method Involves too much labor. For trapping gophers an ordinary No. 0 stool trap may bo employed with success, but there are on tho market several special gopher traps which ara bettor adapted for general use. In using tho ordinary stool trap, the first step Is to make an opening Into the main gopher tunnel. Tho trap should thou bo sunk so that tho Jaws aro level with tho bottom of tho runway run-way anil lightly covered with green clover, alfalfa grass, or oven looso soil, enro bolng taken that these do not clog under tho pan, or trigger. No bait Is roqulrod. Tho hole should bo Just largo enough to recolvo tho trap and should bo covered so as almost to ex-cludo ex-cludo tho light. Scalding the trap frequently to remove tho animal odor Ib important. Some ot the special gopher traps possess tho advantages of easo and simplicity ot operation, nnd kill the nnlmnls Instantly (Figs. 3 and 4.). Thoso special traps should be set In tho laterals leading Into tho main tun nol of tho gopher, or at tho entrance of open burrowB whore fresh earth Is bolng thrown out. Tho trappor should chooso the freshest of a series of mounds nnd dig along tho latoral until It Is found clear ot soil. Carbon btsulphld has been employed for killing pockot gophers, nnd under favorable conditions Its use Is rocom mended. If tho burrows nro extensive or the soil dry, tho gasos aro dissipated dissipat-ed so rapidly that a largo quantity ot tho liquid Is required to kill tho mil ninls and tho method becomes too ox- colpt a-J- y rt' W it ' tfl,t Fig. 2. (a) Mounds of Loose Soil; (b ) Laterals Leading to Mounds, Usual- Arrni ly closed with Earth; (c ) Main Runway, Usually Clean. pensive. If, howover, tho burrows are simple nnd tho soil moist, hlsulphld may bo used successfully. For pocket gophers an ounce of tho liquid for each burrow Is sufficient. Tho carbon blsulphld Is poured over a bunch ot cotton, rags, or other waste mutorlal and this quickly pushed Into tho burrow, bur-row, which should bo closed at oncu. Any farmer may readily rid his promises ot gophers by the use of poison or traps. Unless, however, the entlro community unties In actlvo and Intelligent co-operation In tho doatruo-tlon doatruo-tlon ot tho animals, tho cleared area Fig. 4. A Simple and Effective Typw of Gopher Trap, Easily 8et In a Variety Va-riety of Positions. will bo sooner or lator Invaded from neighboring promises, and tho work of destruction must bo repeated Cooperation Co-operation only will effect a radical euro. When co-oporntlvo efforts for tho extermination of gophers over a considerable area aro attempted, caro-fill caro-fill attention must bo given to wast lauds along fences, streams, publlo highways, and railroads. Such place aro favorite haunts of tho animals. |