RABBIT POISONING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2775, 12 February 1895, Page 3

RABBIT POISONING.

We take the following article dealing with the subject of the use of phosphorised pollard instead of grain iu poisoning rabbits, from the Southlaud Weekly News:—Mr J. U. Ellis called at our office and informed us that his brother, Mr T. C. Ellis, had brought the recipe from Australia, and that after an extensive trial they were convinced of the thorough efficiency of the new method, our visitor estimating its worth to the district as of more value than the gold miues at Wilson's River. Mr Ellis says that, in the first place, the directions for mixitig and preparation must be carefully followed ; and in the second, that the way in which it is laid down is of great importance. The cake—a soft spongy substance, having been properly manufactured and cut up into suitable pieces, should be distributed upon newly-turned Bods. There is no necessity for a continuous furrow, in fact that is rather objectionable, as it is the smell of the freshly-turned earth that first attracts the rabbits, and where there is a large surface of such earth, and only isolated deposits of poisoned material the rabbits may satisfy themselves with the fresh soil without even discovering the poisoned Btuff. Old sods are also to be avoided, Mr Ellis's experience having shown that rabbits are not attracted by earth that has been for some time turned up. Large sods are also against the chances of success, for the reason, as our informant explained, that a rabbit jumps upon a large sod and amuses himself by dancing about on it, whereby the poisoned material is scattered, padded down, and befouled. The best-sized turf is one about five inches square, which is quite large enough to serve as a plate for the poison, without affording a platform for bunny's gambols. Mr Ellis laid the poison in the manner set forth in a field at Blackwater, near Riverton, and although all round there was an abundant crop of young grasses and clover the poison was readily aud extensively eaten, with the result of an abundance of dead rabbits. Mr Playfair, near Thornbury, also tried the poison under Mr Ellis's advice, aud reported that he was fully satisfied of its efficacy as a means of getting rid of the pest. Mr Ellis'* object in publishing the information here given is a highly laudable one. He does not wish to reap the benefit himself aloue, but is anxious that everyone suffering from the rabbit pest should share in the advantages to be derived from this method of abating the nuisance. If systematically and generally adopted, he thinks it quite possible to practically exterminate the rabbit by the use of this specific. Mr Ellis's recipe is a follows : Dissolve 4Jlb of sugar in 2 quarts of boiling water. Dissolve 4 inches of an ordinary stick of phosphorus in 1 quart of boiling water. Mix the above together and gradually stir in 91b of pollard. The mixture should then have the consistency of dough. Care must be taken to stir well when mixing at first to keep the phosphorous from coming together. Put it out in pieces the size of beans on sods 6 inches by 4 inches, or in plough furrows.

Keep everything clean in mixing and distributing.

Note.

If properly done this mixture is taken more greadily by rabbits than any poisou I hava tried, especially ia spring aud summer, when the grass is most luxuriant