POISONING SMALL BIRDS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 67, 12 December 1907, Page 2

POISONING SMALL BIRDS.

THE BEST METHOD. The fact that the small bird nuisance is gradually assuming serious proportions all over the island is a reason wl'iy the matter should bo studied in real earnest by the farmers, ...writes, oui>,-, Wairarapa. correspondent. In! a. number, of instances: farmers do not appear, to ,be, quite to. the, proper method'to be .applied; when dealing, with the means of, exterminating the pests. , It has been contended by some farmers that the Government Agricultural Department should supply poisoned grain, and by others ' that the duty should devolve ■ upon tho County Councils. The best plan, however, is for the farmer to do tho job himself. Commercially poisoned wheat has proved unsatisfactory after a series of experiments. Birds, unless very hungry, will not swallow grain prepared by the wet method, and Mr. 13.' C. Aston, Chief Government, chemist, states that it is only by swallowing the whole grain that tho birds may be killed. The dry method of poisoning grain has been most successful, when used soon after mixing. This is most important, owing to the" fact that if the grain is allowed to remain in its poisoned state for any length of time, its size bccomes abnormal, and there is liable t'o be a taste and smell which frightens the birds. The plan adopted by many farmers is to lay a train of healthy grain for a few mornings along tho margin of a hedge, and then to lay the poisoned grain, when the birds will bo killed in hundreds.. The grain should be coated superficially with particles of strychnine, and damped with a little fresh milk. Use' five-sixths _of an ounco (avordupois) of powdered ( strychnine to ten pounds 1 of sound wheat which has boon thoroughly damped witli fresh milk, so that; the wholo grain is wet, but not dripping with moisture. Shake the powder on the grain, which should be kept constantly stirred with tho hands, and the grain should bo spread as soon as possible after mixing. In his report on the subject Mr. Aston states that the grain must not bo spread too thickly, and one grain of wheat may kill three sparrows. It- is estimated that five-sixths of an ounce of the poison in , ten pounds of wheat should"be sufficient to [ kill nearly a quarter of million of sparrows. , After dipping their hands in tho poisonous , mixture farmers should take great care to cleanse their hands in running water, espeJ cially tho finger-nails.