The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-09-19
HOUSEHOLD AND FARM.

To DRIVE RATS AWAY WITHOUT
PotsoN.-We know Of three meth
obs: First, the old French plan
this is followed chiefly in Paris by
men who make it a special business.
They take q deep tub with water on
the bottom, and a little elevation in
the middle like an island, on which
is only place for just one rat to sit
ca. The top Is covered and has a
balanced valve, opening downward ;
on the side of this valve a piece OF
fried pork or chcsse is tied, and
when a rat walks on it to get the
cheese the valve goes down, drops
the rat in the water, and moves
back in position. A road is made
from the rat hole 10 the top Of the
tub by means Of a piece Of board
rubbed with cheese, so as TO make
the walk attractive for the rats. In
the course Of q single night some
ten. twenty, or even more rats may
-goriown; and II the island was not
there they would be found most all
alive in the morning quietly siwm-
ming around; but the provision of
the little island saves the trouble of
killing them, because their egotistic
Instincts Of self preservation causes
them to fight for the exclusive pos
session Of the island, on which
the strongest rat is found in solitary
possession, all others being killed
aud drowned 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 moist eaustic potassa. When
The rats walk on this it makes their
feet sore; these they lick with their
tongues, which makes their mouths
sore; and the result is that they
shun this locality, not alone, but ap
wear 10 tell all the rats in the neigh
bOrhood about it, and eventually
the house is entiraly abandoned by
them notwithstanding the houses
around may be teeming with them.
Third, the Dutch method: This is
said 10 he successfully used in Hol-
land We have, however, never
tried it. "A number of rats are left
together in u very large cage or
trap, with no food whatever; their
craving hunger will canse them to
fight, and the weakest will be eaten
by the strongest After a short
time the fight is renewed, and the
next weakest Is the victim, aud so
it goes on till one strong rat is left.
When this one has eaten the last re
mains OF any of the Others, tits set
loose. The animal has now ac-
quircd snch taste for rat flesh
that he is the terror OF ration, 60
ing round seeking what rat he,may
deyour. In an incredibly short
space of time the premises are aban-
doned by all other rats, which will
not come back before tue cannibal
rat has leG or has died.
In subsoil-plowing break up the
bottom but do not turn it up. With
n plow from fourteen to eighteen
inches deep this may be easily done
with a single team 10y taking fur
rows twelve inches apart, and, IL
possible, crossing them. This will
break up the bottom and so thor
ougiTly mix the surface tbat the soil
viii be in the best state it is oapa-
bic of and yield its best effects in
the succeeding crops.
Much deeper plowiug may be
safely and advantageously done in
the fall than in the spring, and sub
soiling, as a rRle, should always be
done in the fall when possible, and
not il the spring. 1t has now come
o. be a known fact that subsoihng
improves all crops 70 which it can
be applied, and should therefore
never be omitted.
Doall the blowing you can this
falL Work well advanced in The
spring gives the farmer an easier
life through all the succeeding sea
son. He can plant earlier and thus
secure better crops, as they suffer
less from drouth or excessive rains,
flies, or other contingencies. Your
fgreh0nded farmer is the one who
always sees these things and is pros
porous. NE tr