THE RABBIT PEST.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8795, 24 April 1907, Page 4

THE RABBIT PEST.

A paper read at a meeting of land- ' holders in Pakihikura and Peep-o-Day Districts by Mr 0. Watson, Stock Department:— ''Rabbits have become more numerous and have spread over a largely increased area of country during the past season in the southern part of ! the Hunterville division on this side of the Rangitikei river. I have found them in the Saudon Block,Livingstone, Rewa, Waituna, Peep-o-Day, Tapuae, Pakihikura and Kaj whatau districts; and they are re- ' ported to have been seen in Mangarimu, Ruahino, Marshall and Marton ' Small Farm Block. ! The widespread nature of the increase has been so rapid that I have '. no hesitation in saying that unless i drastic measures be taken for its sup-1 pression, that where a few rabbits are to be seen now hundreds will be seen within a few years. The rabbit is one of the most prolific animals existing. It has been estimated that if two pairs be left to breed for three years under i favourable circumstances, the pro- ' I gony will be one and a half millions. To keep rabbits in check when only ' a few are scattered about is a very I simple and inexpensive matter in comparison to reducing their number to within reasonable limits when they are in thousands. The more numerous rabbits become the more difficult they are to effectually deal with. When only a few are about it is often possitfe to exterminate them by hunting with trained dogs in conjunction with accurate shooting, but to imagine that rabbits can he even kept under control by chasing them about with yelping dogs and by frightening them by firing off guns is a mistake —in fact it is • by these moaus that rabbits have been and are being spread all over the country. They would need to ■• be as big as dairy cows and about as tame to allow of a good deal of the shooting that is done being effective. . . ,

As rabbits are now in the district every occupier of land should make a close inspection of his property every month or two, accompanied if possible by one or two good rabbit dogs —Fox of Irish terriers aro very suitable—and as soon as he finds rabbits there, take effoctivo steps to have them destroyed. At present in many cases nothing at all seems to be done until the Rabbit Inspector requests the destruction of rabbits. When rabbits are scarce, they are often difficult to find without suitable dogs, but even then their presence can generally be ascertained by looking for their scratchings and manure droppings on bare patches of J ground, especially near bush, fallen logs, hollow tree roots, rough gullies, or other cover. New bums are always favourite places for rabbits. Any occupier of land who" fails in his duty to keep rabbits under control is not only careless as to his own welfare, but his neglect is a grave and a serious menace to the prosperity of the whole district; besides he is practically soliciting the enforcement of the Rabbit Nuisance Act, aud against any occupier who,gafter being warned, does not take reasonable and diligent steps to destroy rabbits I shall recommend the Act being enforced. To ensure success in coping with the rabbit difficulty uuited, diligent and systematic work by landholders is absolutely necessary. Simultaneous poisoning with pliosphorized pollard poison is the cheapest, quickest and most effectively method of destruction. To give this poison the best chance of being successful it must be freshly and properly prepared and laid. Never use stale, musty or sour poison. A successful poisoning can usually be obtained about three times in the year; say, once in March or April, once in July or August, and once in November or December. Feed being abundant has little or nothing to do with rabbits refusing to take poison. They take it not because other feed ' is scarce, but probably because they aro attracted by the smell of the pol-' lard, aud it is a change from their usual food. If it be continually kept in front of them they soon get accustomed to it and refuse to touch it. Laid at rare intervals it almost always gives satisfactory results. Tiiere is very little, if any, danger of poisoning stock, if the poison be carefully laid. It has been extensively used with excellont results in different parts of the Hunterville division, and I have not heard of any stock having been poisoned. To lay poison place one or, at the most, two pieces of phosphorized pollard on top of thin turned up sods cut every few yards, in rows about one chain apart, on ground where indications of rabbits are to be seen, or in small holes the ground three inches deep if the owner is afraid of poisoning stock. Poison can be procured cut in small pieces ready to lay, from the Stock Department, Masterton, in any quantity over lOlbs at 3d per lb. To enable you to form an estimate of how much poison any area of infected land will require, I may say that lib will satisfactory poison four acres of laud on which rabbits aro fairly numerous. The chief factors that contribute 1 to a successful poisoning are : 1. Previous to poisoning leave the rabbits undisturbed for three weeks or a mouth if convenient. 2. Simultaneous and thorough work by landholders. 3. The use of freshly and properly prepared pollard poison laid in the manner that I have described. 4. Poison to bo laid in fine weather, although good results have often been obtained in wet weather. 5. This is a very important item. Complete the poisoning of block of ground in shortest possible time—in one day if possible. If part of a small rabbit infected area of ground be poisoned to-day, and the remaining part be not poisoned iintil a few days have passed, tho result will rarely be found to be altogether satisfactory. Tho squealing of poisoned rabbits frightens the ones that hare not found poison owing to the whole of the area not having been poisoned, aud when tho poisoning later bo completed, the rabbits remaining will rarely take |the poison. 0. Don't have dogs with yon when poisoning, aud for six or seven days afterwards leave the ground quiet. In poisoning bush do not lay the poison under the shade of the trees; lay it half a chain away from the edge of tho bush. The responsibility of the landholder doos not necessarily end with having used any particular method of destruction. Responsibility only ends with the extermination of the rabbits. If necessary poisoning must be followed by other methods of do- ' struction. Hunting with trained dogs, in conjunction with good shooting and ferreting as secondary methods of destruction give excel-, lent results. The ferrets can bo used to drivo rabbits out of hollow logs, stumps mid burrovH. | Never destroy tho natural enemy, j Encourage its increase 'by* every, possible moans. Poison and tho natural enemy have practically exterminated rabbits on largo areas of country in tho South Island,