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The following poisoned wash has proved highly satisfactory in the West and promises to be one of the most popular methods of protecting trees from rabbits: 

Poisoned Tree Wash.—­Dissolve one ounce of strychnine sulphate in three quarts of boiling water and add one-half pint of laundry starch, previously dissolved in one pint of cold water.  Boil this mixture until it becomes a clear paste.  Add one ounce of glycerin and stir thoroughly.  When sufficiently cool, apply to the trunks of trees with a paint brush.  Rabbits that gnaw the bark will be killed before the tree is injured.

Annual Report, 1915, Vice-President, Ninth Congressional District.

MRS. H. E. WELD, MOORHEAD.

The fruit crop in general throughout this district was not very good.  The spring was late and cold with a heavy frost in June.  Where the fruit trees were protected by a natural windbreak, we find the best conditions.  Wilkin, Becker, Ottertail counties’ reports indicate that the apple crop was small, but the fruit was of good quality.

[Illustration:  Residence of Louie Wentzel, Crookston, life member and vice-president in 1914]

The varieties that are grown in this district in order of their importance and hardiness are the following:  Hibernal, Duchess, Okabena, Patten’s Greening and Wealthy.  The hardier varieties of crabs are growing here.  The Transcendent is the most popular crab.  The Hyslop, Florence and Whitney are also grown.

But very little blight is reported in this district.

In localities where the trees have the protection of a windbreak there was a small crop of plums.  The DeSoto, Forest Garden and Hansen hybrids are giving very good results.  Even the wild plums were few, as the blossoms were hurt by frost.

Where there was windbreak protection the Compass cherry tree looks healthy and has given a fair crop.

Grapes have not been very generally planted.  The Beta is the hardiest variety.  The Concord does well where properly planted and cared for.

Raspberry bushes made a good growth and look healthy; although damaged by frost there was a fair crop.

Strawberries yielded fairly well where they were given attention.  The Senator Dunlap, Warfield and everbearing plants should be more generally grown.

Gooseberries and currants were just fair in some localities, in others the late frost destroyed all prospects of small fruits.  The Houghton and Downing gooseberries, Red Dutch and White Grape currants are some of the varieties planted.

In Ottertail, Wilkin and Beltrami counties a good deal of nursery stock has been planted and with very good success.

Very little has been done in the way of spraying orchards, as trees are young.

All fruits are going into winter in good condition, with fair amount of moisture in the ground and trees full of fruit buds.