ENEMY OF PESTS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 September 1923, Page 3

ENEMY OF PESTS

DEATH TO RABBITS AND PARASITES. SYDNEY, Sep. 12

The visit to Australia at the request ' of tin. Mumimbidgee Fruit-Growers Association of Professor Quayle, ol Cniverstiy of California, is exciting wide interest amongst fruitgrowers , and pasioralists througlumt Australia, f,„- he collies as the missionary of a new method of eradicating fruit pests and rabbits. He has so thoroughly proved to the Murrimbidgee growers that a new preparation ol cyanide, lor the purpose of demonstrating winch 1„. urns invited here, is ollVeUve that they have decided to adopt it. and he is now making a tour ol all the (bins growing areas in tins State and Queensland at the request of various organisations for the purpose of advising on this method of eradication. '1 he new preparation is known as calcium cyanide, and for the past four years since its discovery has been manufactured in large quantities at tho Niagara Palls. He says that one ounce is equal to 30 ounces of carbon bisulphide, and is much more simple and cheaper that the present methods of fumigation. In California it is now used almost- universally ior dealing with scale on citrus trees. It is blown under the trees with a special blowing machine, and there is no and required for its generation, the gas which affects the pests being given otr from the small particles of dust. Although dealing with rabbits is beyond the province of Dr Quayle as a professor of entomology, he is throwing his whole heart into demonstrating the efficacy of the new preparation in dealing also with this nightmare of the pastoralist. He says that by the tests |u» has made hero, lie lias lonnd that the preparation is admirably suited for tlie fumigation of rabbit burrows. It is thirty times as deadly as earbonbis’ilphide. which is list'd at tho present time, and is also more quickly applied and with less danger hv reason ot its being non-explosive. ( ah’iuni cyanide is a tine powder, and when blown into burrows each particle of powder gives off a gas which kills iho rabbits instantly they inhale it. lie does not consider that in a huge area like the pastoral tracts, the use of this preparation will obviate tho erection of rabbit-proof fences, but lie is convinced that, used in conjunction with the fences, it will enable the rabbits to he kept under complete control.