Ferrets.

Southland Times, Issue 9541, 10 June 1887, Page 2

Ferrets.

TO THE BDITOB. £lv, — As you never seem to have a good word to say for tbe ferret and very frequently write evil of him, I wish just in a few words to pive. my experience. It is now I tkink a k >out six years s«nce Mr Holmes aod I turned loose on our boundary aboiit a do .en, and again later another }ot, and dnring the last two years a large number have been bred and turned out on • 'asderock. Tbe other daj Mr DougUfs, rabbit inspector, was here, and as he was going over|the hills, I told him there had not been a rabbit killed, except odd ones by shepherds' dogs, since l__>t winter, snd asked him to let me know what he saw. Next day 1 saw bim at Bayswater and he said he had not 6een a single rabbit, nor had bia dog got on the scent of oae ; the absence of rabbits \ attribute tq the presenoe of ferrets far the result of trapping anywhere about here is to ca,tch a number of ferrets. Then with regard to the ferrets attacking and killing fowls, I think it will generally be fonnd tbat the depredator is a tarn .ferret whioh bas escaped, and thQ aoqner it ia d,est.oyed the better. £ut e^sc'i. i . the fowls should be killed occasionally I think the farmer has ample cotnpeasatiua in having his rats killed fis well ; I don't know whether rats are numerous in other places, bnt I have no. seen a rat here for yeara. While admitting that vermin of the ferret species are not an unmixed blessing '" my opinion, rabbits and rats are still ks. so.— l am, &*., 4(> ¥R. 34CiBlBQJ& Dipton, 7'fy 4 ur f*