RABBITS AND DISEASE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 759, 7 March 1910, Page 10

RABBITS AND DISEASE.

"NATUEE'S'HETHob."

The following letter "from Mr. Colemari 'Phillips, of Carterton, appeared in the Morning-Herald" last week;— "It;is .reported that .thousands of rabbits, arc. dying from sonso unknown dis.Ease near Gundagai, and your Stock' Department has. diagnosed it as. Ciccidium :oriforme.- ■ This, is ono c of the .natural diseases,; which did, and' still- does, such ■excellent■work- with : us in New' Zealand, •■ " z -,-.} iTer roV of Which I ■ have brcn steadily-writing to your shecpfarmers-for -nearly. 25 years past. It:has nothing to do with Dr. Danysz, or the- YalgOTin microbe', ami is' as much: superior to either as the sun is to a'farthing candle.' Inisis the .disease that has again and again broken out with you; swept over a,more' or less extensive"-area;' and died out, because you all knew so much,' and relied so-much upon ..the netting, and poison,' that your rabbit committees ' and others interested failed 1 to spread one'of nature's best-aids against the.rabbit pest. 1 used to carefully spread this natural disease,- With Hie; three others; and the consequence was that my land' so'on became infected,.and free from the rabbit. ~'• Tho four I- used, and which any of "you.' ■San use, were-: (1) Liver, rot; (2) bladder .worm; (3)-lies;. and (i) . scab. . These dis-, eases, combined with the usie of the natural enemy, . aro- the proper and orilv remedies: Australia; should adopt • against .the rabbit,. and , are the 'sole foundation ■of- the,'plan of "Natural Enemies and Natural '..Diseases/'. '-',■:

.A Wellington sportsman'states that the rabbits on the hills:, around :Jbhnsonville JMcara,,Ohariu,.and'Titahi Bay are infesteaV:with. disease; -principally;: ho states, liver rot/and bladder-worm. These'rabbits ara being shot and consumed freely, and f if our informant is correct, much diseased ; rabbit hasjbeen- unconsciously eaten by .Wellington .residents. ''.;.• .-. ~:-. , , •