Methods of Marking Wild Rabbits

Abstract

The farm-game program for Delaware has raised Lespedeza bicolor in a project nursery for the past three years. The common strain and strain 101 are used. These plants are grown to a size for setting out with a transplanter or tree planter. It is necessary to have plants available for early setting out because soil is often ready during late March or early April, thus nursery stock has to be lifted the previous fall. Various methods of keeping plants in storage have been tried. For the first two years, plants were dug in the fall by a nursery-type lifter and were stored in the basement of an old unoccupied farm house. This basement had an earth floor, and was well ventilated and cool. Plants were bundled and stacked between layers of hair-cap moss which was kept moist. This means of storage did not give completely satisfactory results because some plants would heat and rot. The 1952 nursery stock was handled in a different manner with better results. As usual, stock was lifted during the fall, but instead of being stored in moss, the bundled plants were merely piled in the same basement. Weather conditions did not permit a complete harvest of the nursery stock, so it was not until April 1, 1953 that the remainder of the plants were lifted. These too were bundled and piled in the basement to await planting. Plants which were stored in a dry condition, completely dormant, remained in an excellent state of preservation. Tops were cut from the plants at the time of storage and no moss or moisture were used. Another factor of interest was a method of