The Placer herald., 1872-12-14

HOUSE AND FAR II

PoIsoS. We know Of three methods ::
First, the old French plan this is followed
chiefly in Paris by men making it special
business. They take "A deep tub with water
on the bottom and little elevation IN the
middle ike an island on whc is only place
for lust one rat TO sit on. The top is covered,
and has large balance valve, opening down
ward. On the middle of the valve Il piece
of fried pork or cheese is placed, and when
the rat walks on it TO get the cheese tie valve
goes down, drops the rat into the water ANA
moves back into position. a road is made
from the rat hole to the top of the tub by
means of pieces Of board rubbed with cheese
so as to make the walk attractive for the rats
In the course of a night, some ten, twenty,
or even more rats may go down, and II ihe
island was not there, they wou!d be found
most all alive in the morning, quietly swim
ming around bat the provision Of the little
island saves the trouble Of killing them, be-
cause their egotisiic instinct for preservation
causes them to fight for the exclusive pos
session of the island, On which, in the morn
ing. the strongest rat is found in solitary pos
session, all the Others being killed and drown
ed around him. Second, the New York
plan, invented BY one Of our friends. The
floor near the rat hole is covered with a thin
LAYER Of most caustic pottassa. W hen the
rats walk on this it makes their feet sore;
these they lick with their tongues, which
makes their mouths sore; and the result s
that they shun this locllity-not alone, bu;
appear to tell all the rats in the neghborhood
about it, and Eventually the house is entirely
abandoned by them, Notwithstanding the
houses around ma be full Of rats. Third,
the Dutch method. This is SAID to be used
successfully in Holland; we have, however
never tried il. 4 number Of rats are left to
themselves in n very large trap or cage, with
no food whatever; their craving hunger will
cause them to fight, and the eakesl will be
eaten by tn strongest. After time the
fight is renewed, and the next weakest is the
victim, and so it goes on until tie strong rat
Is left. When tbs has eaten the last re-
mains Of any o the others, it is set loose; the
animal now has acquired such taste for rat
flesh that he is the terror Of ratdOm, gong
round seeking what rats lie may deyour. liz
an Incredibly short time tie premises are
abandoned by all the rats which will not
come back before the clnuihe rat has left or
died Mm1ufdctlucr and Buijder.
PLANT Tree, BoYs.-More than forty
years ago the writer, when lad Of some ten
years, observed growing along the banks Of
a small stream in Maryland beauttu,
young sycamore. 1t WAS not more than an
inch and half in diameter, but Was straight
as an arrow. Pleased with its appearance,
| dug up, CARED it home and planted il.
Some two or three years since | visited it,,
and never in my Ike was | more delighted
then 10 find that it had grown up TO be a
magnificent tree, with a stem rising up fully
thirty feet without a limb, and with branches
spreading out ON every side, furnishing at one
and the same time not only an object upon
which the eve could feast itself, but shade
beneath which could repose when weary
Now, Mr.. Editor am not at all Of a
romantic turn am a plain matter Of fact
kind of man, therefore do not think that !
am silly, because have SO warmly expressed
my delight at Witnessing the growth Of a
little saping planted by my boyish hands,
and with no more thought that forty years
afterwards | should have The satisfaction OF
seeing it grow up into noble tree than had
shat should be made President. l5taught
me most impressive lesson, one that shall
never forget 1t is this, that if every man
on boy would in course Of his life, plant but
n single tree, he would have the satisfaction
of knowing that he had done something for
the benft Of his fellows.
On the same farm few years later, as
sisted in planting hundreds of locusts and
naples that have since grown up TO tree man
..ood, but upon none OF these did | look with
as much pleasure rs upon that splendid
sycamore. 1t was an idea and action Of my
own. The planting remember to-day with
as much viz dness as though it had taken
place only a wccl. since.
Now let me say to every boy reader OF
your useful paper plant a hee' Plant
one every year, and if your lives are spared
as long az mine has been since | carried that
sycamore sapling from the stream side to
where il now stands in splendid majesty
you will thank me for this well-meant sug-
gestion.- ". H. Il. jHJOuuUG}Qf Ute f,0m.
THE AUSTRALIAN GUM TREE.-Ono Of the
great needs of San Diego being trees, We
offer no apology to our readers for reproduce
ing all we see will regard TO those most suita-
bic to the climate, even il the article COPIED
should in some respects, duplicate other'
that have before been published by US.
''In this plant wemay have very import
ant addition to our material resources. ls
great merit consists primarily in its adaptabi-
lty TO regions otherwise unsuitable for the
growth of forest vegetation, in the extreme
rapidity Of its growth, and in the value oI
the wood for economical purposes. " heI
planted in marshy nd t has very decided
effect in draining the soil and freeing it from
an alarious tendency, via lie tits said to thrive
where the annual rainfall is scarcely suilic-
lent to keep ordinary trees in proper visor
As is well known, trees having this RAPID
growth are generally soft and spongy, anc
Of comparatively little value for timber; bu
the gum is quite the reverse, the wood being
very heavy and hard, resisting the action o