. Control of field rodents in California. Rodents; Mammals; Rodents. Fig. 21. Burrows and runways of meadow mice in an alfalfa field heavily infested with these rodents. The mice kill many plants by cutting the roots and eating the stems and leaves. When meadow mice are present in large numbers or over a large acreage, it is necessary to use poison. Formerly strychnine on alfalfa leaves was em- ployed (formula 8), but recently zinc phosphide on rolled barley or oats or oat groats (formula 7) has been used. The poisoned bait—either grain or al- falfa—is broadcast by hand (gloves should be worn)
. Control of field rodents in California. Rodents; Mammals; Rodents. Fig. 21. Burrows and runways of meadow mice in an alfalfa field heavily infested with these rodents. The mice kill many plants by cutting the roots and eating the stems and leaves. When meadow mice are present in large numbers or over a large acreage, it is necessary to use poison. Formerly strychnine on alfalfa leaves was em- ployed (formula 8), but recently zinc phosphide on rolled barley or oats or oat groats (formula 7) has been used. The poisoned bait—either grain or al- falfa—is broadcast by hand (gloves should be worn) so that it will scatter on the runways and be found by the mice. For heavy mouse infestations, amounts up to 15 pounds of grain bait are used per acre. One man can treat 15 acres a day, walking back and forth across the field and using marker stakes along the field borders to cover the field adequately and evenly. More than one treatment may be necessary per season when the mouse pop- ulation is large. KANGAROO RATS In lowland localities, where dry farm- ing is practiced adjacent to wild land of desert or semidesert character, kangaroo rats (genus Dipodomys) sometimes dam- age grain crops. These distinctive rodents have long hind legs and feet, short small forefeet, long tufted tails, brown or tan backs, pure white underparts, and a pair of external cheek pouches (like those of pocket gophers). The head and body are about 4 inches long and the tail about 7% inches. (See fig. 22, next page.) Kangaroo rats live in short shallow burrows, in sandy or soft ground. The entrances to the burrows are usually closed with earth during the daytime. There is considerable fluctuation in their numbers. Over much of interior Califor- nia these rodents are of slight importance, having been exterminated from many areas long under cultivation. When nec- essary, they may be easily controlled by use of strychnine-coated barley (formula 1) distributed near the burrows as is done for ground squi
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