THE RABBIT QUESTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 829, 26 July 1881, Page 2

THE RABBIT QUESTION.

•--- .'.. ■■,.:.; m.. './:' [To the Editor of the Watrabapa Duly;] ■ ' . ;::; ,Julyl9,'lßßL | Sir,—l should feel much obliged if you could find Bpaije in your columns for a : few remarks on the proposed introduction ' of the'natural' therabbits;' '"

; From personal experience, I can';Bafely siy it would be a oomplete failuieVand, for this reason—wherever pqispn is laid and rabbits are scarce, ferrets!and'cats/;.1 &c.,' feed'bn the carcase both'befprb'and;' after skinningi and wherever they abound'., the poison is killing them as well as the'; rabbits,, as they "attack the most dangerf j, ous parts, viz., the heart and lungs. I havo soen no less, than four fen'ets and two cats dead '..within the last. few.days from the effects of the poison, : Then, again,- wherever dogs aro being/ worked, they will attack and destroy';:, both ferrets t and cats, and I have no doubt if anything else wore introduced < they would share the same fate. Another reason, too, is their destruativeness amongst sheep. Ferrets have been •known to kill sheep in a part of this district where' rabbits are.BQar.ee... Ferrets, and wild cats are more numerous than is generally supposed. I have seen from fifteen to twenty wild ferrets' since Christmas last.

;So far as I can see, poisoning is the only remedy for. the'.rabbit pestif properly carried out,.' Wheat Beemstobe the most satisfactory, the rabbits .eating it up where they, will not oats, Oats will do the work after a fashion, but it is not so attractive as wheat, and does not'give the same results,. Great care should be taken in mixing the poison that the \ steam does not escape, or else a large portion of the strength is lost. To effect this, the poison, should be allowecj to stand in tlje bqilQr 24 hour's, shifted into a : hoi 'or tub kept :f<jr fs , purpose, and a)lowed to'stand for another 24 hours, taking care to keep it welj covered all the'timq.' This ensures ||s jjemg thoroughly also provenjs the phosphorous from set; tling too muolv'at ttjrhottqn}, .whjoh/it will do if tjot properly seen tq, ' trespassing so much <m your valuable space, I am, dtij., Lower Valley.