,,united ,,states ,,department ,,of ,,agriculture ,,farmers' ,,bulletin ,,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 #gjb ,,january #ag1 #aiaf ,contribution from the ,bureau of ,biological ,survey1 ,henry ,w4 ,henshaw1 ,chief4 ,,cottontail ,,rabbits ,,in ,,relation ,,to ,,trees ,,and ,,farm ,,crops4 ,by ,d4 ,e4 ,,lantz1 ,assistant ,biologist4 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,words surrounded by tildes1 like this signifies words in bold4 ,words surrounded by underscores1 like this1 signifies words in italics4 ,,contents4 ,page4 ,introduction #a ,habits of cottontail rabbits #b ,protection of rabbits #c ,means of repressing rabbits #e ,natural enemies #e ,hunting #f ,trapping #f ,poisoning #i ,bacterial diseases #aj ,protection of crops from rabbits #aj ,rabbit-proof fences #aj ,tree protection #aj ,washes #aj ,mechanical contrivances #aa ,other means #ab ,,note4--,this bulletin discusses the distribution and habits of cottontail rabbits and methods of controlling their ravages on trees and cultivated crops by means of trapping1 poisoning1 and supplying safeguards4 ,for general distribution4 ,,introduction4 ,among the serious pests in orchards and tree plantations are the several native species of rabbits4 ,these animals do considerable damage to garden truck and other farm crops also1 especially on lands recently opened to cultivation4 ,north ,american rabbits belong to two general classes easily distinguished by their size and habits4 ,the larger forms#a include the arctic and varying hares1 or snowshoe rabbits1 and the jack rabbits1 and are found throughout nearly all of ,alaska and ,canada and in all the ,states west of the ,mississippi except ,arkansas and ,louisiana4 ,east of the ,mississippi they inhabit the northern parts of ,minnesota1 ,wisconsin1 and ,michigan1 most of ,new ,york and ,new ,england1 and southward in the ,appalachian ,mountains1 parts of ,pennsylvania1 ,maryland1 and ,virginia4 ,footnote #a3 ,genus ,lepus4 ,the smaller forms1#b generally called cottontail rabbits1 occur in every ,state1 but are absent from the greater part of ,maine1 the northern parts of ,new ,hampshire1 ,vermont1 ,new ,york1 ,michigan1 ,wisconsin1 and ,minnesota1 and from the western parts of ,washington and ,oregon4 ,in recent years they have extended their range northward in the ,new ,england ,states1 ,new ,york1 and portions of the ,west1 and have invaded and occupied a considerable part of the ,province of ,ontario4 ,in habits they differ materially from the larger rabbits4 ,they live in copses and thickets more than in open fields4 ,the young are born blind1 naked1 and helpless1 while those of the larger rabbits have the eyes open1 are partially furred1 and active when born4 ,footnote #b3 ,genus ,sylvilagus4 ,rabbits of both genera1 however1 feed exclusively on vegetation1 and are at times harmful to crops and especially to trees4 ,because of their size and great abundance in parts of their range1 jack rabbits are by far the most destructive1 but1 except in a few places where they have been introduced1 none are found east of the ,mississippi4 ,epizootics 7diseases which attack many animals at the same time7 are an effectual natural check1 and after such attack occurs1 jack rabbits are usually so reduced in numbers that they are not troublesome again for several years4 ,traps and other devices that are effective with cottontail rabbits do not always succeed with jack rabbits4 ,the recommendations contained in this bulletin will1 therefore1 apply only to cottontail rabbits1 but they may suggest methods that1 with modifications1 may be used against the larger forms4 ,,habits ,,of ,,cottontail ,,rabbits4 ,cottontail rabbits 7fig4 #a7 are so well known that little need be said of their habits4 ,they breed several times each year during the warmer months1 the litters averaging five or six young4 ,the nest is usually placed in a hollow or depression of the ground1 often in open fields or meadows4 ,it is composed of dead grass and warmly lined with fur which the female pulls from her own body4 ,the male rabbit takes no part in caring for the young1 and the female weans them as soon as they are able to leave the nest4 ,these animals breed so rapidly that in spite of many natural enemies1 and of the fact that they are hunted for human food1 they often become numerous enough to inflict serious losses on farmers and fruit growers in many parts of the ,united ,states 7fig4 #b74 ,cottontail rabbits eat all sorts of herbage--leaves1 stems1 flowers1 and seeds of herbaceous plants and grasses--and leaves1 buds1 bark1 and fruits of woody plants or trees4 ,they usually prefer the most succulent foods1 as young shoots1 tender garden vegetables1 clover1 alfalfa1 and fallen ripe fruits2 but they exhibit also a remarkable delicacy of taste in their selection of certain varieties of cultivated plants and in their neglect of others of the same species4 ,prof4 ,c4 ,v4 ,piper reports that in ,oregon rabbits ate ,arabian alfalfa down to the ground1 while they did little or no damage to other varieties grown in surrounding plats4 ,prof4 ,c4 ,a4 ,mooers1 of the ,tennessee ,agricultural ,experiment ,station1 reports similar observations in regard to their taste for soy beans1 stating that they greatly relish the mammoth yellow variety and that it is practically the only one that suffers from their depredations4 ,when favorite foods are absent rabbits resort to whatever is available4 ,it is during summer droughts or when deep snows cut off ordinary supplies that the animals attack the bark of growing trees or shrubs4 ,illustration ,fig4 #a4--;,cottontail rabbit in its form4 ,,protection ,,of ,,rabbits4 ,cottontail rabbits are valuable for food and afford excellent sport for gunners4 ,in many ,states1 especially east of the ,mississippi ,river1 they are protected as game4 ,in fruit-growing and truck-farming districts farmers regard them with disfavor1 and there is considerable rivalry between sportsmen and farmers to have their opposing views reflected in game laws4 ,the interests of the two classes do not seriously differ1 however1 for when rabbits are closely hunted losses from their depredations are usually reduced to a minimum4 ,still there is danger that in years favorable for their increase the animals may inflict serious injury to trees during severe winters4 ,rabbits are protected 7#aiae7 by close seasons in ,states and ,provinces as shown in ,table ,i4 ,twenty-eight ,states1 ,alaska1 and the ,canadian ,provinces not mentioned in the table do not protect rabbits of any kind4 ,in the ,district of ,columbia all shooting is prohibited except on certain river marshes4 ,in ,kentucky rabbits may be taken with dog1 trap1 or snare at any time1 and the close season for shooting is evidently solely for the purpose of keeping gunners out of fields and woods during the two months immediately preceding the open season for quails4 ,in ,wisconsin #df counties1 mostly in the southern half of the ,state1 have no close season for rabbits4 ,in ,california only cottontails1 or bush rabbits1 are protected4 ,illustration ,fig4 #b4--;,apple tree killed by rabbits4 ,,table ,i4--,lengths of open season for rabbits or hares4 ---------------------------------------- ------------- ,beginning ,beginning ,length ,state or ,province4 of of of open open close season4 season4 season4 ---------------------------------------- ------------- ,months4 ,maine ,oct4 #a ,apr4 #a #f ,new ,hampshire do4 ,mar4 #a #e ,vermont ,sept4 #ae do4 #e-a_/b ,massachusetts ,oct4 #ab do4 #d-c_/e ,rhode ,island ,nov4 #a ,jan4 #a #b ,connecticut ,oct4 #h do4 #b-c_/d ,new ,york ,oct4 #a ,feb4 #a #d ,long ,island ,nov4 #a ,jan4 #a #b ,new ,jersey ,nov4 #aj ,dec4 #af #a-a_/e ,pennsylvania ,nov4 #a ,dec4 #a #a ,delaware ,nov4 #ae ,jan4 #a #a-a_/b ,maryland ,nov4 #aj ,dec4 #be #a-a_/b ,district of ,columbia ,nov4 #a ,feb4 #a #c ,virginia do4 do4 #c ,kentucky ,nov4 #ae ,sept4 #ae #aj ,ohio do4 ,dec4 #e #b_/c ,indiana ,apr4 #a ,jan4 #aj #i-a_/c ,illinois ,aug4 #ca ,feb4 #a #e-a_/cj ,michigan ,oct4 #a ,mar4 #b #e-a_/cj ,wisconsin3 #f counties ,sept4 #aj ,feb4 #a #d-b_/c #ac counties ,oct4 #aj do4 #c-b_/c #f counties ,nov4 #a ,jan4 #a #b ,colorado ,oct4 #a ,mar4 #a #e ,california ,july #ca ,feb4 #a #f-a_/cj ,british ,columbia ,sept4 #a ,jan4 #a #d ,ontario ,oct4 #a ,dec4 #af #b-a_/b ,quebec3 ,zone #a ,oct4 #ae ,feb4 #a #c-a_/b ,zone #b do4 ,mar4 #a #d-a_/b ,newfoundland ,sept4 #bj ,jan4 #a #c-a_/c ,prince ,edward ,island ,nov4 #a ,feb4 #a #c ,nova ,scotia ,oct4 #a ,mar4 #a #e ---------------------------------------- ------------- ,in about half the ,states that have a close season for rabbits the laws permit farmers and fruit growers to destroy the animals to protect crops or trees4 ,such provision might well be incorporated in game laws of all ,states4 ,for lack of it farmers have sometimes suffered severe losses1 and not a few have been compelled to pay fines for trying to protect their property from rabbits4 ,in ,states that protect rabbits it is well for the farmer to be acquainted with the game laws and in case of doubt to have a clear understanding with local and ,state game1 wardens before undertaking to destroy rabbits4 ,,means ,,of ,,repressing ,,rabbits4 ,,natural ,,enemies4 ,among the agencies that help to keep down the numbers of rabbits few are more effective than carnivorous birds and mammals4 ,these include large hawks and owls1 eagles1 coyotes1 wildcats1 foxes1 minks1 weasels1 dogs1 and cats4 ,eagles1 the larger species of hawks1 and all the large and medium-sized owls make rabbits a great part of their food4 ,from the standpoint of the farmer and fruit grower these birds and certain carnivorous mammals are far more beneficial than harmful4 ,on the other hand1 poultry growers and sportsmen regard them as enemies to be destroyed whenever possible4 ,in the absence of such natural enemies1 rabbits1 as well as rats and mice1 often become a menace to valuable crops4 ,indiscriminate slaughter of carnivorous birds and mammals should be suppressed whenever rodent pests are to be controlled4 ,,hunting4 ,hunting has been the most important factor in keeping down the numbers of rabbits in ,america4 ,in some parts of the country the animals have been so reduced in numbers by shooting that sportsmen have invoked legislation to prevent their extermination4 ,shooting is undoubtedly the best method for hunting this animal4 ,ferreting is often impracticable1 since our native rabbits do not habitually burrow2 besides1 the use of ferrets is forbidden by law in many ,states that protect the rabbit4 ,coursing with greyhounds is popular in the ,west1 where the swifter jack rabbits are abundant4 ,cottontails are often chased with foxhounds1 but the beagle is rapidly taking precedence as a favorite for hunting these animals1 the gun being used to secure the game4 ,where the country is sufficiently open for the purpose1 the organized hunt1 in which everyone who owns a gun is supposed to take part1 is a good means of reducing the number of rabbits4 ,these organized hunts are popular in the ,west1 where they are also varied1 in the case of jack rabbits1 by what is known as the rabbit drive4 ,a large territory is surrounded by men and the animals are driven into a corral built of wire netting4 ,while a few cottontails are sometimes included in the catch1 these usually find refuge in open burrows or under cover of rocks or brush1 so that this method is hardly applicable to them4 ,,trapping4 ,rabbits are easily trapped or snared1 and while these methods of taking them are slow1 they are always feasible when cottontails infest woodlot1 orchard1 nursery1 field1 or garden4 ,many are caught in old-fashioned box traps set with a figure-#d trigger with cord attached to hold up the box lid4 ,an improvement on this familiar trap1 widely used in the ,middle ,west1 and often called the ,wellhouse#c trap1 is a box #ba inches long and about #f inches high and #d inches wide 7inside measurements7 made of #f-;inch fence boards1 preferably old ones4 ,the box is closed at the rear and has a wire door in front which swings inward from the top1 a cleat at the bottom preventing its opening outward4 ,the trap is set and the wire door kept open by a wire trigger-rod held in place by two staples in the top of the box4 ,the trigger-rod is bent downward into a loop or figure #h near the rear of the trap4 ,as the rabbit enters the trap and crowds into the back part it presses against the loop1 moves the trigger-rod backward and is imprisoned as the wire door is released and falls4 ,bait may be used but is unnecessary1 since cottontails frequently take refuge in dark places from enemies or inclement weather4 ,footnote #c3 ,after the late ,mr4 ,fred ,wellhouse1 of ,topeka1 ,kans4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4--;,details of a ,wellhouse rabbit trap4 ,the materials needed for making a ,wellhouse trap are3 ,four boards #a by #f1 #ba inches long1 for the sides2 a piece #a by #f1 #h inches long1 for the back2 a small cleat for the door stop2 #bh-a_/b inches of wire for the door2 #bb inches of wire for the trigger2 #d small staples for hanging the door and trigger2 and nails 7fig4 #c74 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #d4--;,cross section of a ,walmsley tile trap for rabbits4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,walmsley recently sent to the department photographs and a description of a permanent rabbit trap made of sewer tile and used on his and other farms in ,kansas 7fig4 #d74 ,a #ab by #f inch tee is set with the long end downward and buried so that the #f-;inch opening is below the surface of the ground4 ,two lengths of #f-;inch sewer pipe are then connected horizontally with the opening4 ,soil is placed over the joints to exclude light4 ,the upright tile should be fitted with a tight removable cover--,mr4 ,walmsley uses old harrow disks for the purpose4 ,the projecting end of the small tile is surrounded with rocks1 brush1 or wood1 so as to make the hole look inviting to rabbits 7fig4 #e71 and that they may appropriate the den as a place of concealment and shelter4 ,a number of these traps in various places1 and especially in the vicinity of the orchard1 have kept ,mr4 ,walmsley's farm comparatively free of rabbits4 ,rabbits occupy these tile traps1 go in or out at will1 and may be captured when desired4 ,whenever ,mr4 ,walmsley visits his traps he is accompanied by a trained dog that locates the trapped animals4 ,the cover is lifted from the upright tile and the rabbit captured by hand2 if it bolts from the side opening it is caught by the dog4 ,a short pole fitted with a #e-;inch wooden disk may be inserted in the side opening to prevent escape4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #e4--;,a ,walmsley tile trap in use4 ,these traps are especially suitable for open lands and prairies1 where rabbits can not find many natural hiding places4 ,built on waste land1 they may become a permanent part of the farm equipment and will cost nothing for repairs from year to year4 ,their first cost may be greatly reduced by use of second-grade or even broken tiles4 ,if one wishes to poison rabbits1 the baits may be placed inside these traps and domestic animals or birds will not be endangered4 ,the ,walmsley trap also furnishes an excellent means of obtaining rabbits for the table or even for market without damaging them by shooting4 ,,poisoning4 ,poison for killing rabbits has been used in the ,west with considerable success4 ,only in exceptional cases1 however1 is its use advisable in ,states that protect rabbits4 ,the most favorable season for using poison is in winter or after a long drought in summer has made green food scarce4 ,in some localities summer poisoning is interfered with by crickets or grasshoppers consuming the bait4 ,the following method is adapted for general use3 ,insert crystals of strychnine or powdered strychnine in pieces of apple or melon rind and place these baits at intervals along rabbit runs or paths4 ,take care to put the poisoned baits where children and domestic animals can not get them4 ,where no well-defined runs are visible in orchards1 artificial ones may be made with a narrow drag or scraper4 ,along such runs or the dead furrows of plowed fields rabbits habitually travel4 ,baits may be placed on the ground or elevated on short sticks along the path1 and should be looked after with care4 ,any baits left after poisoning operations are finished should be destroyed4 ,for poisoning rabbits in winter or during droughts the following formula is recommended3 ,good oats1 #ab quarts2 powdered strychnine1 #a ounce2 laundry starch1 #a tablespoonful2 soda 7bicarbonate71 #a ounce2 saccharine1 #a_/h ounce2 water1 #a quart4 ,mix the starch with #a_/b pint of cold water4 ,pour this into #a-a_/b pints of boiling water and continue the boiling for a minute or two until the starch is clear4 ,mix the dry strychnine and soda in a small pan and sift it over the hot starch1 stirring thoroughly to form a smooth paste4 ,add the saccharine and stir again4 ,pour the mixture over the oats in a metal tub1 mixing until all the grain is wet4 ,allow the oats to dry before distributing4 ,not over a tablespoonful of the grain should be put in a single bait and this should be scattered considerably4 ,a little alfalfa hay will help attract rabbits to the poisoned grain4 ,this poison is recommended for use when snow covers the ground4 ,it is effective against both cottontails and large rabbits4 ,partly ripened heads of barley or wheat soaked in a solution of strychnine and saccharine or coated with the starch-strychnine solution just described have also proved effective baits for rabbits1 but great care must be exercised in using them1 as they are likely to be eaten by live stock4 ,cottontail rabbits may be poisoned in winter by baiting them with twigs cut from apple trees and dipped in or thinly coated with the starch-strychnine poison4 ,these twigs are scattered along rabbit trails and are effective against both meadow mice and rabbits4 ,they are less dangerous to domestic animals than grain baits4 ,,bacterial ,,diseases4 ,the fact that when rabbits become excessively abundant in any locality epizootic diseases often destroy them in large numbers has led many people to expect that a micro-organism would be found which would afford a ready means of rabbit control4 ,the ,biological ,survey receives many applications for such bacterial preparations4 ,in reply to all of them it has been necessary to state that thus far all attempts to spread contagious disease artificially among wild rabbits have failed to give practical results4 ,,protection ,,of ,,crops ,,from ,,rabbits4 ,complete extermination of rabbits in any part of the ,united ,states is not desirable1 even if possible4 ,they should be reduced in numbers only sufficiently to secure comparative safety to crops1 and before active wholesale destruction of the animals is attempted the possibility of crop protection by other means should be carefully considered4 ,in many cases one of these means would probably be the more economical method4 ,,rabbit-,,proof ,,fences4 ,when rabbits are abundant and the area to be protected is not too great1 a rabbit-proof fence may profitably be used4 ,woven-wire netting is recommended for this purpose4 ,this material is in general use1 not only against the rabbit pests of ,australia and ,europe1 but in our own country against both large and small rabbits4 ,as our species burrow less than the ,european rabbit the requirements for rabbit proofing a fence here are not so great4 ,even the cottontails1 when driven by hunger1 will dig under a fence1 but this may be prevented either by use of wire with close barbs in contact with the ground or by plowing a furrow against the lower edge4 ,a netting of galvanized wire with #a-a_/b-;inch mesh and #b-a_/b to #c feet high is a sufficient barrier against cottontails4 ,where snow is infrequent market gardeners and nurserymen use a #b-;foot fence1 but in the ,north they prefer to use a netting #c-a_/b feet wide1 and to turn from #d to #f inches of the lower edge flat and cover it with soil4 ,netting made of ,no4 #bj wire costs from #be to #ce cents a rod4 ,heavier netting slightly increases the cost1 but adds to the durability of the fence4 ,where lumber is cheap1 a picket fence or one made of laths and wire is practicable4 ,when deep snows fall and drifts form1 fences offer no protection to crops against rabbits4 ,,tree ,,protection4 ,,washes4 ,many devices for protecting trees from rabbits have been recommended1 the majority of which are paints1 smears1 or washes supposed to be distasteful to the animals4 ,many are not sufficiently permanent to afford protection for an entire winter1 and most of those that are lasting are injurious to trees4 ,coal tar1 pine tar1 tarred paper1 and oils1 under certain conditions1 are dangerous to young trees4 ,carbolic acid and other volatile substances afford only temporary protection1 and must be renewed too often to warrant their use4 ,bitter substances1 like commercial aloes and quassia1 are useless against rabbits4 ,the most promising simple washes for protecting large trees from rabbits are those containing lime mixed with sulphur or copperas in various combinations4 ,lime alone is not sufficiently permanent1 especially where much rain falls4 ,when mixed with sufficient copperas it has a deep green color and sticks much better4 ,the lime-sulphur wash commonly used to destroy ,san ,jose scale in winter has often proved successful as a rabbit repellent1 but its lack of adhesive qualities often makes it fail4 ,the defects may be partly corrected by mixing salt1 soap1 or a cheap glue with the lime and sulphur while the wash is still hot4 ,a poisoned wash of starch and glycerin1 tried during the winter of #aiac-ad in ,idaho by a field agent of the ,biological ,survey1 gave excellent results in protecting young orchards from jack rabbits1 and would probably be equally effective where cottontails are concerned4 ,the wash is prepared as follows3 ,dissolve #a ounce of strychnine 7sulphate7 in #c quarts of boiling water4 ,dissolve #a_/b pound of laundry starch in #a pint of cold water4 ,pour the starch into the vessel containing the strychnine and boil the mixture a short time until it is clear1 adding #f ounces of glycerin and stirring thoroughly4 ,when it is cool enough apply with a paint brush to the tree trunks4 ,the glycerin and starch adhere well and form a thin coating to the bark4 ,rabbits attacking the trees will be quickly killed4 ,in the ,idaho experiments none of the trees were damaged badly enough to affect their growth and all the rabbits in the orchards were destroyed4 ,the method is well worth trying2 but care should be taken not to endanger domestic animals4 ,,mechanical ,,contrivances4 ,among the best mechanical contrivances for protecting trees from rabbits are cylinders of woven wire netting4 ,poultry netting of #a-;inch mesh1 made of ,no4 #bj galvanized wire1 will answer every requirement4 ,rolls #ah inches wide are used for cottontails1 and the material is cut into #a-;foot lengths4 ,one of the sections is rolled into cylindrical shape about the trunk of each tree and fastened at several places by bending and twisting the projecting ends of wire4 ,no other fastening is needed1 but stakes or spreaders may be used to prevent rabbits from pressing the wire against the bark and doing injury through the meshes4 ,these guards should be left on the trunks1 and will last as long as the trees require protection4 ,the cost of material is less than #b cents for each tree4 ,these protectors may vary in size to suit the requirements of any particular locality or kind of tree4 ,they may be adapted to protection from the larger rabbits by using wider rolls and to protection from both meadow mice and rabbits by using wire of finer mesh and by pressing the lower edges into the ground4 ,veneer and other forms of wooden protectors are popular1 and have several advantages when used for cottontail rabbits4 ,when left permanently upon the trees1 however1 they furnish retreats for insect pests4 ,for this reason they should be removed each spring4 ,while the labor of removing and replacing them is considerable1 they have the advantage when pressed well into the soil of protecting from both mice and rabbits4 ,they cost from #fj cents a hundred upward1 and are much superior to building paper or newspaper wrappings4 ,the writer has known instances where rabbits tore wrappings of building paper from apple trees and in a single night injured hundreds4 ,gunny-sack and other cloth wrappings well tied on are effective protectors4 ,cornstalks furnish a cheap material for orchard protection when cut into lengths of #ah to #bj inches1 split1 and tied with the flat side against the tree1 so as fully to cover the trunk4 ,however1 they last but one season and putting them in place involves much labor4 ,,other ,,means4 ,few of these methods for the protection of individual trees in orchards or elsewhere are applicable to young woodlands or forest plantations where trees grow close together4 ,in these cases the only remedy is the destruction of the animals or their exclusion by wire nettings4 ,clean cultivation1 generally1 possesses advantages in preventing rabbit depredations1 since it reduces the number of places of refuge for the animals2 but rabbits go long distances in search of food1 especially in winter1 and clean cultivation can not be applied on the western plains1 where dense windbreaks are essential to successful orcharding4 ,feeding rabbits in winter to prevent their attacks on orchards has been practiced successfully1 on the theory that it is cheaper to feed than to fight them4 ,one plan is to leave the winter prunings of apple trees scattered about the orchard4 ,another is to furnish corn1 cabbage1 or turnips in sufficient quantity to provide food for the rabbits during cold weather4 ,these methods have considerable merit1 particularly the first1 which seems to give satisfactory results when both mice and rabbits are present4 ,,washington3 ,,government ,,printing ,,office3 #aiaf