North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Don Yellman <don.yellman@webformation.com>]

Begin with a small amount of dry plaster of paris, say about 1/2 cup.  Work 
in a roughly equal amount of peanut butter, kneading it with your fingers 
until is of a consistency to hold together in nice balls.  If it does not, 
add a little more peanut butter or a small amount of vegetable oil.  Do not 
unnecessarily overdo the peanut butter or oil, since it is the POP that does 
the job in the squirrel, and the higher the POP content of the mix, within 
the limits of good ball formation, the better the ball.  You don't want to 
end up feeding the squirrels with peanut butter, and an insignificant, 
nonlethal amount of POP.  Never add water, since that will initiate a 
chemical change in the POP causing it to set up prematurely.  This is what is 
supposed to happen from the moisture in the squirrel's gut.  The balls should 
be sited in a dry location, since rain will activate the POP and cause it to 
lose effectiveness.  I think many of the reported failures of POP balls are 
due to allow
ing them to become moist from rain or even heavy dew.  This can result in 
premature setup, allowing the squirrels to safely process the balls.  Once 
the chemical setup change occurs in the POP, it cannot be reversed or 
repeated.  So start with fresh, dry POP each time you make squirrel balls, 
and do not try to recycle old balls.

Don Yellman, Great Falls, VA