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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/34437-h.zip b/34437-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8932d7e --- /dev/null +++ b/34437-h.zip diff --git a/34437-h/34437-h.htm b/34437-h/34437-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dc9e49e --- /dev/null +++ b/34437-h/34437-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,845 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Methods of Destroying Rats, by David E. Lantz. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .tocnum {position: absolute; top: auto; right: 15%;} + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 1em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Methods of Destroying Rats, by David Lantz + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Methods of Destroying Rats + Farmers' Bulletin 297 + +Author: David Lantz + +Release Date: November 25, 2010 [EBook #34437] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS *** + + + + +Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="right">Issued May 31, 1907.</p> + +<h3>U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.</h3> + +<h4>FARMERS' BULLETIN 297.</h4> + +<h1>METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS.</h1> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>DAVID E. LANTZ,</h2> + +<h4><i>Assistant, Bureau of Biological Survey.</i></h4> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;"> +<img src="images/p001-illus.jpg" width="200" height="197" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + +<p class="center"> +WASHINGTON:<br /> +GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.<br /> +1907.<br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span></p> +<h2>LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.</h2> + + +<p class="right"> +<span class="smcap">U. S. Department of Agriculture</span>,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Bureau of Biological Survey</span>,<br /> +<i>Washington, D. C., May 15, 1901</i>.<br /> +</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sir</span>: I have the honor to transmit herewith for publication Farmers' +Bulletin No. 297, containing concise directions for the destruction of +rats, prepared by David E. Lantz, an assistant in this Bureau. The +damage done by these rodents, both in cities and in the country, is +enormous, and the calls for practical methods of destroying them are +correspondingly numerous and urgent. It is believed that by following +the directions here given the numbers of this pest can be greatly +reduced and the losses from them proportionally diminished.</p> + +<p class="right"> +Respectfully,<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">C. Hart Merriam</span>,<br /> +<i>Chief, Biological Survey</i>.<br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Hon. James Wilson</span>,<br /> +<i>Secretary of Agriculture</i>.<br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<p> +<span class="tocnum">Page.</span><br /> +<br /> +Introduction <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_3'>3</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Methods of destroying rats <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_4'>4</a></span><br /> +<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Poisoning <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_4'>4</a></span></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Trapping <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_5'>5</a></span></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Use of ferrets and dogs <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_6'>6</a></span></span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Fumigation <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_7'>7</a></span></span><br /> +<br /> +Rat-proof construction <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_7'>7</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Natural enemies of rats <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_8'>8</a></span><br /> +<br /> +Conclusions <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_8'>8</a></span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATION.</h2> + + +<p> +<span class="tocnum">Page.</span><br /> +<br /> +<span class="smcap">Fig. 1.</span>—Method of baiting guillotine trap <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_6'>6</a></span><br /> +</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> +<h2>METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS.</h2> + + +<h3>INTRODUCTION.</h3> + +<p>The brown or Norway rat (<i>Mus norvegicus</i>) is the worst mammal pest in +the United States, the losses from its depredations amounting to many +millions of dollars yearly—to more, indeed, than the losses from all +other injurious mammals combined.<a name="FNanchor_A_1" id="FNanchor_A_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_A_1" class="fnanchor">[A]</a> In addition to its destructive +habits, this rat is now known to be an active agent in disseminating +infectious diseases, a fact which renders measures for its destruction +doubly important.</p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_A_1" id="Footnote_A_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_A_1"><span class="label">[A]</span></a> Several species of rats are known as "house rats," +including the black rat (<i>Mus rattus</i>), the roof rat (<i>Mus +alexandrinus</i>), and the brown rat (<i>Mus norvegicus</i>). Of these, the last +is the commonest and most widespread in this country. Not one of these +species is a native, but all were imported from the Old World. As their +habits in general are similar, the instructions given in the bulletin +apply alike to all.</p></div> + +<p>Introduced into America about the year 1775, the brown rat has +supplanted and nearly exterminated its less robust relative, the black +rat, and despite the incessant warfare of man has extended its range and +steadily increased in numbers. Its dominance is due to its great +fecundity and its ability to adapt itself to all sorts of conditions. It +breeds three or four times a year and produces from 6 to 12, and even +more, young at a litter. Young females breed when only 4 or 5 months +old. The species is practically omnivorous, feeding upon all kinds of +animal and vegetable matter. It makes its home in the open field, the +hedge row, and the river bank, as well as in stone walls, piers, and all +kinds of buildings. It destroys grains when newly planted, while +growing, and in the shock, stack, mow, crib, granary, mill, elevator, or +ship's hold, and also in the bin and feed trough. It invades store and +warehouse and destroys fur, laces, silks, carpets, leather goods, and +groceries. It attacks fruits, vegetables, and meats in the markets, and +destroys by pollution ten times as much as it actually eats. It carries +disease germs from house to house and bubonic plague from city to city. +It causes disastrous conflagrations; floods houses by gnawing lead water +pipes; ruins artificial ponds and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> embankments by burrowing; destroys +the farmers' pigs, eggs, and young poultry; eats the eggs and young of +song and game birds; and damages foundations, floors, doors, and +furnishings of dwellings.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS.</h2> + + +<p>A compilation of all the methods of destroying rats practiced in +historic times would fill a volume. Unfortunately, the greater number of +them are worthless or impracticable. Few have more than temporary effect +upon their numbers, and even the best of them fail unless persistently +applied. Conditions vary so much that no one method of dealing with this +pest is applicable in all cases. Among the more important measures to be +recommended for actively combating the brown rat are: (1) Poisons; (2) +traps; (3) ferrets; (4) fumigation, and (5) rat-proof construction of +buildings.</p> + + +<h3>POISONING.</h3> + +<p><b>Barium Carbonate.</b>—One of the cheapest and most effective poisons for +rats and mice is barium carbonate, or barytes. This mineral has the +advantage of being without taste or smell; and, in the small quantities +used in poisoning rats and mice, is harmless to larger animals. Its +action on rodents is slow, but reasonably sure, and has the further +advantage that the animals before dying, if exit be possible, usually +leave the premises in search of water. Its employment in houses, +therefore, is rarely followed by the annoying odor which attends the use +of the more virulent poisons.</p> + +<p>The poison may be fed in the form of a dough made of one-fifth barytes +and four-fifths meal, but a more convenient bait is ordinary oatmeal, +with about one-eighth of its bulk of barytes, mixed with water into a +stiff dough; or the barytes may be spread upon bread and butter or +moistened toast. The prepared bait should be placed in rat runs, a small +quantity at a place. If a single application of the poison fails to +drive all rats from the premises, it should be repeated with a change of +bait.</p> + +<p><b>Strychnine.</b>—Strychnine is a more virulent poison, but its action is so +rapid that the animals often die upon the premises, a circumstance which +prohibits its use in occupied dwellings. Elsewhere strychnine may be +employed with great success. Dry strychnine crystals may be inserted in +small pieces of raw meat, Vienna sausage, or toasted cheese, and these +placed in the rat runs; or oatmeal may be wet with a strychnine sirup, +and small quantities laid out in the same way.</p> + +<p>Strychnine sirup is prepared as follows: Dissolve a half ounce of +strychnia sulphate in a pint of boiling water; add a pint of thick<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> +sugar sirup and stir thoroughly. A smaller quantity of the poison may be +prepared with a proportional quantity of water. In preparing the bait it +is necessary that all the oatmeal should be moistened with sirup. Wheat +is the most convenient alternative bait. It should be soaked over night +in the strychnine sirup.</p> + +<p><b>Other Poisons.</b>—The two poisons most commonly used for rats and mice are +arsenic and phosphorus, nearly all commercial preparations containing +one or the other as a basis. While experiments prove that rats have +great powers of resistance to arsenic, it may sometimes be used +advantageously as an alternative poison. Preparations of phosphorus sold +by druggists are often too weak to be effective; and home-made mixtures, +when of sufficient strength, are dangerous, as rats may carry the baits +into walls or crannies and thus cause fires. For these and other reasons +the Biological Survey does not recommend preparations containing +phosphorus.</p> + +<p><b>Poison in the Poultry House.</b>—For poisoning rats in buildings and yards +occupied by poultry, the following method is recommended: Two wooden +boxes should be used, one considerably larger than the other, and each +having two or more holes in the sides large enough to admit rats. The +poisoned bait should be placed on the bottom and near the middle of the +larger box, and the smaller box should then be inverted over it. Rats +thus have free access to the bait, but fowls are excluded.</p> + + +<h3>TRAPPING.</h3> + +<p>Trapping, if persistently followed, is one of the most effective methods +of destroying rats. The improved modern traps with a wire fall released +by a baited trigger and driven by a coiled spring have marked advantages +over the old forms, and many of them may be used at the same time. These +traps, sometimes called guillotine traps, are of many designs, but the +more simply constructed are to be preferred. Probably those made +entirely of metal are the best, as they are less likely to absorb and +retain odors.</p> + +<p>In illustration of the effectiveness of traps, it may be related that a +year or two ago a large department store in Washington experienced heavy +losses of gloves, lace curtains, and other merchandise from rat +depredations. For several months the damages amounted to from $10 to $30 +nightly. After many unsuccessful attempts to abate the nuisance the +managers were advised to try the improved traps. As a result 136 rats +were killed during the first twenty nights, when the losses practically +ceased, and the method has been continued in the store ever since with +satisfactory results.</p> + +<p>Guillotine traps should be baited with small pieces of Vienna sausage +(Wienerwurst) or bacon. The trigger wire should be bent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> inward to bring +the bait into proper position to permit the fall to strike the rat in +the neck, as shown in the illustration (fig. 1).</p> + +<p>Other excellent baits for rats are oatmeal, toasted cheese, toasted +bread (buttered), and sunflower or pumpkin seeds. When seed, grain, or +meal is used with a guillotine trap, it may be placed on the trigger +plate, or the trigger wire may be bent outward and the bait sprinkled +under it.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 650px;"> +<img src="images/p006-illus.jpg" width="650" height="399" alt="Fig. 1.—Method of baiting guillotine trap." title="" /> +<span class="caption">Fig. 1.—Method of baiting guillotine trap.</span> +</div> + +<p>Wire cage traps (French) also are useful for catching rats, but in the +long run the kinds recommended above are much more effective. While +trapping, all other food should be removed and the trap bait should be +changed often. Rats are very suspicious, and baits and traps should be +handled as little as possible. Increased success may be secured both in +trapping and poisoning if the rats are fed for a night or two with the +kinds of food to be used for bait.</p> + + +<h3>USE OF FERRETS AND DOGS.</h3> + +<p>A ferret is useful for the purpose of driving rats out of burrows and +other hiding places so that dogs can capture them. An experienced person +with dogs and ferrets trained to work together can kill many rats when +they are numerous. But the amateur ferreter is likely to be greatly +disappointed.</p> + +<p>In the rice fields of the far East the natives build numerous piles of +brush and rice straw and leave them for several days until many rats +have taken shelter in them. A portable bamboo inclosure several feet in +height is then set up around each pile in succession and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> the straw and +brush are thrown out over the top while dogs and men kill the trapped +rodents. Large numbers are killed in this way, and the plan with +modifications may be utilized in America with satisfactory results. A +wire netting of fine mesh may be used for the inclosure. The scheme is +applicable at the removal of grain, straw, or hay stacks, as well as +brush piles.</p> + + +<h3>FUMIGATION.</h3> + +<p>Rats may be destroyed in their burrows in the fields, and, still more +important, in levees and rice-field dikes, by the use of carbon +bisulphid. A wad of cotton or other absorbent material is saturated with +the liquid and pushed into the burrow, the opening being packed with +soil to prevent escape of the gas. All animals in the burrow are +asphyxiated. Fumigation about buildings is not so effective, as the gas +can not readily be confined.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>RAT-PROOF CONSTRUCTION.</h2> + + +<p>The best way of excluding rats from buildings, whether in the city or +country, is by the use of cement in construction. As the advantages of +this material are coming to be generally understood, its use is rapidly +extending to all kinds of building. Dwellings, dairies, barns, stables, +chicken houses, ice houses, bridges, dams, silos, tanks, cisterns, +root-cellars, hotbeds, sidewalks, and curbs are now often made wholly of +concrete. In constructing dwelling houses the additional cost of making +the foundations rat-proof is slight as compared with the advantages. The +cellar walls should have concrete footings and the walls themselves be +laid in cement mortar. The cellar floor should be of "medium" rather +than "lean" concrete, and all water and drain pipes should be surrounded +with concrete. Even an old cellar may be made rat-proof at comparatively +small expense. Rat holes may be permanently closed by a mixture of +cement, sand, and broken glass or sharp bits of stone.</p> + +<p>Rat-proof granaries, corncribs, and poultry houses may be constructed by +a liberal use of concrete in the foundations and floors.</p> + +<p>Rats, mice, and sparrows may be excluded from corncribs by the use of +either an inner or an outer covering of fine-mesh wire netting +sufficiently heavy to resist the teeth of rats.</p> + +<p>The common custom of setting corncribs upon posts with inverted pans at +the top often fails because the posts are not long enough to insure that +the lower cracks of the structure are beyond jumping reach of rats. The +posts should project at least 3 feet above the surface of the ground.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p> +<h2>NATURAL ENEMIES OF RATS.</h2> + + +<p>The value of carnivorous mammals and the larger birds of prey in +destroying rats should be more fully recognized, especially by the +farmer and the game preserver. Chief among the animals that are useful +in destroying these rodents are the fox, skunk, and weasel, and the +larger species of owls and hawks. Rats destroy more poultry and game, +both eggs and young chicks, than all the birds and wild mammals named +combined, yet some of our most useful birds of prey and carnivorous +mammals are persecuted almost to the point of extinction. An enlightened +public sentiment should cause the repeal of all bounties on these +animals and afford protection to the majority of them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONCLUSIONS.</h2> + + +<p>By the persistent use of traps, occasional resort to poison, and the +exercise of forethought in the construction of farm buildings so as to +minimize the opportunities for harborage, farmers and others may prevent +the greater part of the loss and annoyance they now experience from rat +depredations. The same statement applies in great measure to city and +village conditions. Hence cooperation in the warfare on rats is +particularly important and can not be too strongly urged.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Methods of Destroying Rats, by David Lantz + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS *** + +***** This file should be named 34437-h.htm or 34437-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/4/3/34437/ + +Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Methods of Destroying Rats + Farmers' Bulletin 297 + +Author: David Lantz + +Release Date: November 25, 2010 [EBook #34437] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS *** + + + + +Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + + + + + + + +Issued May 31, 1907. + +U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. + +FARMERS' BULLETIN 297. + +METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS. + +BY + +DAVID E. LANTZ, + +_Assistant, Bureau of Biological Survey_. + +[Illustration] + +WASHINGTON: +GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. +1907. + +[Transcriber's Note: Words surrounded by tildes, like ~this~ signifies +words in bold. Words surrounded by underscores, like _this_, signifies +words in italics.] + + + + +LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. + + +U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, +BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY, +_Washington, D. C., May 15, 1901_. + +SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith for publication Farmers' +Bulletin No. 297, containing concise directions for the destruction of +rats, prepared by David E. Lantz, an assistant in this Bureau. The +damage done by these rodents, both in cities and in the country, is +enormous, and the calls for practical methods of destroying them are +correspondingly numerous and urgent. It is believed that by following +the directions here given the numbers of this pest can be greatly +reduced and the losses from them proportionally diminished. + +Respectfully, + +C. HART MERRIAM, +_Chief, Biological Survey_. + +HON. JAMES WILSON, +_Secretary of Agriculture_. + + + + +CONTENTS. + Page. + +Introduction 3 + +Methods of destroying rats 4 + + Poisoning 4 + Trapping 5 + Use of ferrets and dogs 6 + Fumigation 7 + +Rat-proof construction 7 + +Natural enemies of rats 8 + +Conclusions 8 + + + + +ILLUSTRATION. + Page. + +FIG. 1.--Method of baiting guillotine trap 6 + + + + +METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +The brown or Norway rat (_Mus norvegicus_) is the worst mammal pest in +the United States, the losses from its depredations amounting to many +millions of dollars yearly--to more, indeed, than the losses from all +other injurious mammals combined.[A] In addition to its destructive +habits, this rat is now known to be an active agent in disseminating +infectious diseases, a fact which renders measures for its destruction +doubly important. + +[Footnote A: Several species of rats are known as "house rats," +including the black rat (_Mus rattus_), the roof rat (_Mus +alexandrinus_), and the brown rat (_Mus norvegicus_). Of these, the last +is the commonest and most widespread in this country. Not one of these +species is a native, but all were imported from the Old World. As their +habits in general are similar, the instructions given in the bulletin +apply alike to all.] + +Introduced into America about the year 1775, the brown rat has +supplanted and nearly exterminated its less robust relative, the black +rat, and despite the incessant warfare of man has extended its range and +steadily increased in numbers. Its dominance is due to its great +fecundity and its ability to adapt itself to all sorts of conditions. It +breeds three or four times a year and produces from 6 to 12, and even +more, young at a litter. Young females breed when only 4 or 5 months +old. The species is practically omnivorous, feeding upon all kinds of +animal and vegetable matter. It makes its home in the open field, the +hedge row, and the river bank, as well as in stone walls, piers, and all +kinds of buildings. It destroys grains when newly planted, while +growing, and in the shock, stack, mow, crib, granary, mill, elevator, or +ship's hold, and also in the bin and feed trough. It invades store and +warehouse and destroys fur, laces, silks, carpets, leather goods, and +groceries. It attacks fruits, vegetables, and meats in the markets, and +destroys by pollution ten times as much as it actually eats. It carries +disease germs from house to house and bubonic plague from city to city. +It causes disastrous conflagrations; floods houses by gnawing lead water +pipes; ruins artificial ponds and embankments by burrowing; destroys +the farmers' pigs, eggs, and young poultry; eats the eggs and young of +song and game birds; and damages foundations, floors, doors, and +furnishings of dwellings. + + + + +METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS. + + +A compilation of all the methods of destroying rats practiced in +historic times would fill a volume. Unfortunately, the greater number of +them are worthless or impracticable. Few have more than temporary effect +upon their numbers, and even the best of them fail unless persistently +applied. Conditions vary so much that no one method of dealing with this +pest is applicable in all cases. Among the more important measures to be +recommended for actively combating the brown rat are: (1) Poisons; (2) +traps; (3) ferrets; (4) fumigation, and (5) rat-proof construction of +buildings. + + +POISONING. + +~Barium Carbonate.~--One of the cheapest and most effective poisons for +rats and mice is barium carbonate, or barytes. This mineral has the +advantage of being without taste or smell; and, in the small quantities +used in poisoning rats and mice, is harmless to larger animals. Its +action on rodents is slow, but reasonably sure, and has the further +advantage that the animals before dying, if exit be possible, usually +leave the premises in search of water. Its employment in houses, +therefore, is rarely followed by the annoying odor which attends the use +of the more virulent poisons. + +The poison may be fed in the form of a dough made of one-fifth barytes +and four-fifths meal, but a more convenient bait is ordinary oatmeal, +with about one-eighth of its bulk of barytes, mixed with water into a +stiff dough; or the barytes may be spread upon bread and butter or +moistened toast. The prepared bait should be placed in rat runs, a small +quantity at a place. If a single application of the poison fails to +drive all rats from the premises, it should be repeated with a change of +bait. + +~Strychnine.~--Strychnine is a more virulent poison, but its action is so +rapid that the animals often die upon the premises, a circumstance which +prohibits its use in occupied dwellings. Elsewhere strychnine may be +employed with great success. Dry strychnine crystals may be inserted in +small pieces of raw meat, Vienna sausage, or toasted cheese, and these +placed in the rat runs; or oatmeal may be wet with a strychnine sirup, +and small quantities laid out in the same way. + +Strychnine sirup is prepared as follows: Dissolve a half ounce of +strychnia sulphate in a pint of boiling water; add a pint of thick +sugar sirup and stir thoroughly. A smaller quantity of the poison may be +prepared with a proportional quantity of water. In preparing the bait it +is necessary that all the oatmeal should be moistened with sirup. Wheat +is the most convenient alternative bait. It should be soaked over night +in the strychnine sirup. + +~Other Poisons.~--The two poisons most commonly used for rats and mice are +arsenic and phosphorus, nearly all commercial preparations containing +one or the other as a basis. While experiments prove that rats have +great powers of resistance to arsenic, it may sometimes be used +advantageously as an alternative poison. Preparations of phosphorus sold +by druggists are often too weak to be effective; and home-made mixtures, +when of sufficient strength, are dangerous, as rats may carry the baits +into walls or crannies and thus cause fires. For these and other reasons +the Biological Survey does not recommend preparations containing +phosphorus. + +~Poison in the Poultry House.~--For poisoning rats in buildings and yards +occupied by poultry, the following method is recommended: Two wooden +boxes should be used, one considerably larger than the other, and each +having two or more holes in the sides large enough to admit rats. The +poisoned bait should be placed on the bottom and near the middle of the +larger box, and the smaller box should then be inverted over it. Rats +thus have free access to the bait, but fowls are excluded. + + +TRAPPING. + +Trapping, if persistently followed, is one of the most effective methods +of destroying rats. The improved modern traps with a wire fall released +by a baited trigger and driven by a coiled spring have marked advantages +over the old forms, and many of them may be used at the same time. These +traps, sometimes called guillotine traps, are of many designs, but the +more simply constructed are to be preferred. Probably those made +entirely of metal are the best, as they are less likely to absorb and +retain odors. + +In illustration of the effectiveness of traps, it may be related that a +year or two ago a large department store in Washington experienced heavy +losses of gloves, lace curtains, and other merchandise from rat +depredations. For several months the damages amounted to from $10 to $30 +nightly. After many unsuccessful attempts to abate the nuisance the +managers were advised to try the improved traps. As a result 136 rats +were killed during the first twenty nights, when the losses practically +ceased, and the method has been continued in the store ever since with +satisfactory results. + +Guillotine traps should be baited with small pieces of Vienna sausage +(Wienerwurst) or bacon. The trigger wire should be bent inward to bring +the bait into proper position to permit the fall to strike the rat in +the neck, as shown in the illustration (fig. 1). + +Other excellent baits for rats are oatmeal, toasted cheese, toasted +bread (buttered), and sunflower or pumpkin seeds. When seed, grain, or +meal is used with a guillotine trap, it may be placed on the trigger +plate, or the trigger wire may be bent outward and the bait sprinkled +under it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Method of baiting guillotine trap.] + +Wire cage traps (French) also are useful for catching rats, but in the +long run the kinds recommended above are much more effective. While +trapping, all other food should be removed and the trap bait should be +changed often. Rats are very suspicious, and baits and traps should be +handled as little as possible. Increased success may be secured both in +trapping and poisoning if the rats are fed for a night or two with the +kinds of food to be used for bait. + + +USE OF FERRETS AND DOGS. + +A ferret is useful for the purpose of driving rats out of burrows and +other hiding places so that dogs can capture them. An experienced person +with dogs and ferrets trained to work together can kill many rats when +they are numerous. But the amateur ferreter is likely to be greatly +disappointed. + +In the rice fields of the far East the natives build numerous piles of +brush and rice straw and leave them for several days until many rats +have taken shelter in them. A portable bamboo inclosure several feet in +height is then set up around each pile in succession and the straw and +brush are thrown out over the top while dogs and men kill the trapped +rodents. Large numbers are killed in this way, and the plan with +modifications may be utilized in America with satisfactory results. A +wire netting of fine mesh may be used for the inclosure. The scheme is +applicable at the removal of grain, straw, or hay stacks, as well as +brush piles. + + +FUMIGATION. + +Rats may be destroyed in their burrows in the fields, and, still more +important, in levees and rice-field dikes, by the use of carbon +bisulphid. A wad of cotton or other absorbent material is saturated with +the liquid and pushed into the burrow, the opening being packed with +soil to prevent escape of the gas. All animals in the burrow are +asphyxiated. Fumigation about buildings is not so effective, as the gas +can not readily be confined. + + + + +RAT-PROOF CONSTRUCTION. + + +The best way of excluding rats from buildings, whether in the city or +country, is by the use of cement in construction. As the advantages of +this material are coming to be generally understood, its use is rapidly +extending to all kinds of building. Dwellings, dairies, barns, stables, +chicken houses, ice houses, bridges, dams, silos, tanks, cisterns, +root-cellars, hotbeds, sidewalks, and curbs are now often made wholly of +concrete. In constructing dwelling houses the additional cost of making +the foundations rat-proof is slight as compared with the advantages. The +cellar walls should have concrete footings and the walls themselves be +laid in cement mortar. The cellar floor should be of "medium" rather +than "lean" concrete, and all water and drain pipes should be surrounded +with concrete. Even an old cellar may be made rat-proof at comparatively +small expense. Rat holes may be permanently closed by a mixture of +cement, sand, and broken glass or sharp bits of stone. + +Rat-proof granaries, corncribs, and poultry houses may be constructed by +a liberal use of concrete in the foundations and floors. + +Rats, mice, and sparrows may be excluded from corncribs by the use of +either an inner or an outer covering of fine-mesh wire netting +sufficiently heavy to resist the teeth of rats. + +The common custom of setting corncribs upon posts with inverted pans at +the top often fails because the posts are not long enough to insure that +the lower cracks of the structure are beyond jumping reach of rats. The +posts should project at least 3 feet above the surface of the ground. + + + + +NATURAL ENEMIES OF RATS. + + +The value of carnivorous mammals and the larger birds of prey in +destroying rats should be more fully recognized, especially by the +farmer and the game preserver. Chief among the animals that are useful +in destroying these rodents are the fox, skunk, and weasel, and the +larger species of owls and hawks. Rats destroy more poultry and game, +both eggs and young chicks, than all the birds and wild mammals named +combined, yet some of our most useful birds of prey and carnivorous +mammals are persecuted almost to the point of extinction. An enlightened +public sentiment should cause the repeal of all bounties on these +animals and afford protection to the majority of them. + + + + +CONCLUSIONS. + + +By the persistent use of traps, occasional resort to poison, and the +exercise of forethought in the construction of farm buildings so as to +minimize the opportunities for harborage, farmers and others may prevent +the greater part of the loss and annoyance they now experience from rat +depredations. The same statement applies in great measure to city and +village conditions. Hence cooperation in the warfare on rats is +particularly important and can not be too strongly urged. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Methods of Destroying Rats, by David Lantz + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK METHODS OF DESTROYING RATS *** + +***** This file should be named 34437.txt or 34437.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/4/3/34437/ + +Produced by Larry B. Harrison, Josephine Paolucci and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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