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The Rabbit Pest

1941 , United Kingdom (Other)

Cat no. 1378

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Wartime information film advocating the elimination of rabbits by cyanide gas to prevent crop damage on farmland.

The film begins with shots of scrub land and explains how this could be put to use for crops if rabbits could be eliminated. There is a shot of cabbages on the edge of a field, ruined by rabbits.The film shows several traditional methods for keeping down the rabbit population. These include using ferrets, traps and by shooting. The commentary emphasises that these methods will never eliminate rabbits. The only way to do that is by using cyanide gas. A tablespoon of cyanide gas is placed in the rabbit hole. The other holes are blocked up. A land girl helps with the task. The two of them, the land girl and the farmer, can gas out 50 holes per hour. The farmer demonstrates using a special 'blower' for large areas. This blows the cyanide gas into the rabbit burrows.The farmer walks home with several rabbits on a pole. The commentary emphasises the importance of producing food for the war effort. The film ends with harvest scenes and shots of a village and a farm.

Keywords

Farming; pest control; rabbits; war effort

Manifestations

The Rabbit Pest

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