VERMIN V. RABBITS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1605, 26 August 1882, Page 14

VERMIN V. RABBITS.

TO THI3 EDITOR.

Sir,— lf Mr Stoddart has proved, as he states in his letter of 2fcith July, that poison is the most efficacious way to kill out the rabbits, he has been more fortunate thap myself or any of my neighbours in this district. I was the first in this part of -the Colony to make a trjal of poisoned grain, having commenced in August 1879, and have kept at it ever since ; but so far from finding that tho poison kills out the rabbits, they are just as numerous as ever. During nine months of the year rabbits eat the poison readily and are killed by it, but there

are three months when they will not touch 1 it— quite sufficient time to allow of breeding as many as will re-stock the country. Besides, as a writer in your paper has already pomtea out, on every run patches of rabbits are found that will not touch poison. I have found the same, and that each year these patches spread. It Is only a question of time when very tew rabbits will touch the poison. There is also another side of the question that seems to have quite escaped notice. In addition to the heavy annual expense entailed on every landowner, •and for which he gets no return in value whatever, look at the frightful waste of wheat and oats. The consumption on the largo properties must be enormous. The Mataura Ensign states that the New Zealand Agricultural Company are using four tons of grain monthly. For any useful purpose this grain is being as much wasted as if thrown into the sea.^ There can be no doubt that as much grain is^ being scattered about to poison rabbits in this province alone , as would be sufficient to freight several Home ships. — I am, &c, > Chas. C. Boyes. Frankton, August 16th.