Complete Extermination of the Rabbit. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2146, 11 April 1895, Page 16

Complete Extermination of the Rabbit. TO THE EDITOR.

Sin,— Regarding the question of rabbit extermination I have something to say which, I am convinced, will be found woi thy of every consideration by those interested ; and although your widely read and valuable columns are periodically (looded with correspondence on the mbject, the question is of such all-engiwsin;; interest to agriculturists and pustoralists that I am suie you will leadily bear with me in using further of your space. The system, or want of system, of warfare against bunny at present in vogue must be regarded a-- a failure, as the peat is on the increase. Tin's, I believe, will be roadily admitted. My experience finds it so decidedly, and I have for some time felt the urgency for some change of action. I .speak as one keenly interested, being an agriculturist and pistoralist ; therefore I trust what I have here to advance will receive due consideration, and, I hope, discussion in your columns,. I.am auite convinced mviself. after mun.h

consideration for and against, that my plan fa practicable, and would satisfactory lessen the evil in a comparatively Bhoit spnee of time ; buf notwithstanding that my mind is thus made op as it were, lam quite prepared for objections, and cordially invite them, or approval, .as may bo judged deserving. Shortly put", then, the method I have to suggest is as follows :—

Poison thoroughly in the winter, and during the months of August to December, inclutive ; hold ou every -possible inducement to exterminate the does.

I calculate that immediately following the first poisoning, if efficiently done, it would pay to give u'd, or even In, per head for the doc. Of comse, certain safeguards would have to be imposed, but that is nuruly a detail for future consideration. In a year or so it seems to me that, probably.it would be found to be feasible and to advantage to pay ss, 10s, or oven £1 per head fordoes under my scheme, for their extermination would be at hand. It requires but very little knowledge of the subject to understand that to pay Is or so for the lif« of a doe before she commences to breed in the spring is money saved directly. Each doe allowed to run at that time may, at a low estimate, be reckoned to entail on the landowner the cost of 33 for destroying her direct natural increase alone— that ii, during the five months I have mentioned. This is not counting the second generation, which would have commenced to breed. In saying 3s, I have only counted on four litters, while there would be actually five in the time. I give mx survivow to each litter; total. 24 rabbits— one half at 2d and one half at Id i>er head, 3s. What the cost might be for the whole year I am not prepared to Hay, but it certainly would not be less than 5s or Cs— that is, for destruction merely. What tho grand total lossmiKht be, includingloss of pasture, administering of the 11 ibbib department, &c, I will notevtn venture to guess. To see, in the first place, the rabbits destroyed cheaply and effectively ia my aim in planning this scheme-, and I am quite prepared for my own part to take action under the method if some general trial should be decided on.

For obvious reasons I would not be inclined to carry on oporationa under tin's scheme later than Decembsr of each year, and while the special price would be paid for does, bucks could be paid for as at present. The price payable for the does \*>er head, whether 6d or half a crown, would depend entirely ou their ecarc-jness ; and I would leave this matter to be judged and decided by a rabbit board, constituted to have tuperylsion over smallish areas. As for tho question of ways and means, that cannot bo counted on as in aDy way an obstacle, when wo brook, as wo do, squandering so jnuch to so little purpose. 'Whether Government inspectors would be desirable or not may be left over at present, but I certainly would not allow the killing to be at the mercy of the people individually. It must come out of their handb and be looked aftsr. by those who would see that each one did his duty for the benefit of the whole community. I have not the slightest doubt in roy own mind, as I have sai<i, of the efficacy or practicability of the principle of my plan of extirpation. It is thtt people themselveswho would have to be watched with suspicion and forced by direct or indirect means (a rabbit tax, for iu3tance)to make the best of t lie work

It is sometimes argued that in certain respects rabbits teod to lecoup farmers for the loss they orc.is'on became Iheir skiDs bring in money and tinned rabbit ia on th« market That is, in my opinion, a fallacy. Would not tha finer kinds of merino wool take the place of rabbit fur, and tinned_ 11 utton be substituted for tinned rabbit? If to, it would of course mean a correspondingly ineieased demand, to say nothing of possible better price 3in proportion. Rabbit factories would, <>f course, beswept away under my plan, but that v.-ould be 110 less. Thai; they encourage rabbit- farming in do inconsiderable degiee I am thoroughly convinced. The pest has become far too serious a matter to farmers and pasloralists to let any consideration stand in the way of tho war cry— " Complete extermination of the rabbit!" and to that end the undersigned is hereby trying to do hi* level best. Is the attempt good or bad ? — I am, ifec, Jamisr Eryce (of Bryce Bros.). Lovell'a I'lat, Aprils.