Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 edition. Excerpt: ... The following winter, 1904-5, mice and rabbits were again abundant in the orchard, having come in from adjacent territory. The experiences of the preceding winter were repeated, except that cover for mice was less dense and the campaign against them began much earlier in the season. During the two winters named, many other orchards throughout eastern Kansas were seriously injured by field mice. As a rule no preventive measures were used, and the total losses were enormous. THE RELATION OF FIELD MICE TO THE FARMER. In 1886 the Biological Survey sent out a circular letter of inquiry about damages to crops by mammals." A great many replies from widely scattered places were received. The replies relating to field mice show that these animals everywhere are regarded as a pest. The following extracts from letters on file in the office of the Bureau of Biological Survey are here presented to show not only how great is the amount of injury from field mice in certain localities, but to give an idea of the wide area over which losses are sustained. REPORTS FROM FARMERS AND OTHERS. Field mice are very injurious to clover fields. The injury is done by eating the roots when the ground is covered with snow. The loss is serious. They are injurious to fruit trees and yellow locust and Osage orange. They girdle them beneath the surface of the ground during deep snows. They destroy apple and pear trees, but rarely hurt peach and cherry.--Gap, Lancaster County, Pa., Nov., 1886. Field mice injure pastures and meadows by burrowing under grass roots and destroying them. There were more last summer than for years, I think, owing to the destruction of their natural enemies.--Eastbrook, Lawrence County, Pa., Feb., 1887. Meadow mice are very destructive to grain, ...