POISONING RABBITS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4741, 22 August 1924, Page 2

POISONING RABBITS.

AN AUSTRALIAN METHOD. THE RESULT OF EXPERIMENTS. Au interesting series of preliminary experiments has been conducted by officers of the New South Wales Department of Agriculture in the use of calcium cyanide for poisoning rabbits. This material has been used in Canada for the destruction of gophers, the sn ail burrowing rodents which in many parts of Northi America constitute a very serious and destructive pest. The calcium .cyanide used in the experiments is a commercial preparation in the form of thin brojvnish flakes that give off a strong odour of hydro cyanic acid gas for a consider- ' able period. In a recent issue ol the Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales Mr Max Henry, Government surge .'ii of that State, indicated the scope of the experiments and their results. Four series were conducted in various classes of soil, in burrows of different types, and with poison in varying quantities. Sufficient information was obtained to justify the view that the results were encouraging and make further trial desirable. It was therefore proposed to carry on the experiments. The advantages of this method of rabbit destruction, Mr Henry stated, were: Only a small amount of labour is required. Providing the material is used as directed there its absolute freedom from danget to live stock; as the burrows in which the rabbits are killed are..;, closed up, blowflies cannot breed in - them. No extensive plant or machinery is required ; there is no dangei of destroying bird life ; poisoning can be carried on at any time and in any season. The disadvantages are: The rabbits, being left in the burrows, cannel be used as a commercial asset; the method cannot be relied on to eradicate rabbits ; wire netting would still ce necessary ; and the material used is very poisonous.