The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1882-11-08
Rats on Sugar Estates in Jamaica.

all the West India Islands. From q
careful series of returns received from
planters in all parts of the Island Of
Jamaica, the loss caused by rats in
rat. eaten canes, up to within arecent
date, is estimated at not less than
S250,000 per annum. Other crops
also suffer from depredations by rats.
Examples given Of the distribution of
rats aud the destruction caused by
them. in the island are afforded 10
spch reports as the following: The
proprietor of an estate in TrelaWny
says 1.-The annual number Of rats
destroyed and paid for on one estate
was over 10000 at the rate of one
penny per head ; exclusive of what
was destroyed oy poison and dogs"
y large proprietor in st. james re-
ports that he paid, in district not
remarkable for the depredations Of
rats, on an average $3.50 per annum
for rat catching, and the destruction
OF canes by rats might be moderately
estimated at $1,000 per annum.
Taking the number OF sugar esta>
ties and their returns, as given in
THE jamaica Handbook Tor 1881.
it appears that there are at present in
the island some ZIG estates, contains
ing in the aggregate 39,505 acres un>
der canes and yielding about 81, 400
hogsheads Of sugar and 20,7G0 pun-
cheons of rum. Taking sugar ut SO
per hogshead and rum at $55 per pun
cheon, this would represent an an
nual value OF So, 100000. While sotae
dry districts, such as We're in C!ayeu
don, are comparatively free from rats,
others, such as ST. Thomas in East
Portland and Westmoreland, have
always suffered very severely from
their depredations. A rat enemy,
therefore, is in urgent request.
For many years, in spite OF rats
catchers, dogs, traps, bats and p0is !
on, the evil remained almost as great |
as ever. About twenty years ago the
capabilities of the mongoose as rat
catcher were questioned aud an a.
tempt was made to introduce it, with |
results not satisfactory. The expert
ment was later repeated ana these
animals firmly established in the
neighbornood OF Kingston and 10 |
every parish on The island. Mr.. ID.
Morris, in a letter in the LSet0, tells !
what have been the practical results
OF ten years experience with the mon
goose in Jamaica. He says: "In the
first place there can be no doubt that
on sugar estates the mougoose has
1ully realized the hopes held out re-
speeding its powers as a rat~catcher,
and sugar planters all over the island |
speak in the most unqualified terms
OF the good it has done in DESTROYING
the rapaclous cane piece>rat and re.
ducing the expense OF rat-catch;ng in
all its phases"
On an estate where the mon4oose |
had only been introduced il 1878. |
the attorney speaks OF it's usefulness
as follows: Sin comparing the ex-
pendlture on an estate where lived |
Tor some years / find the present
yearly expenditure for rat catching
shows SAD as compared with $4G0
spent in catching and poisoning rats,
and rebnilding walls pulled down to
catcl rats. / lake this from AVERAGES
Tor five years before the inlroductiou
OF the mongoose,as compared with last
years expenditure. This amount does
not include the cost of posons, bats
and traps which would average fully
500 a year, making $500 as compar.
cd with $40. In comparing the quail
ily OF ratNeAten canes destroyed be-
fore the Introduction of the mon
goose take the mum Der of gallons
OF rum canes ground during the crop
preceding the introduction Of the
mongoose, and compare it with the
quantity ground last year. This
shows 1850 gallons rum cane
ground before 1879 to 1925 gallons
ground IN 1881, which, compared at
the rate OF ! loads OF cane to sit h.
Oh OF $50 gallons, shows III hogs
heads Of sugar epoilt before 1878,
compared with 81 hogsheads OF sug-
al sp led III l8oI-taking 20 loads
Of good canes TO HE hogshead or a
destruction of 10 per cent. as CONS
pared with per cent. under existing
circumstances" Agai5: "Some OF
tie hest cane lauos ON the estate |
have just mentioned hadto bethrown
gu oi cultivation los Years, owing to
Tie imPoSsibinty OF saving the cans
n,ln lats. this land is nov being
taken up again and put into Gaze cul
, tlvaLOn.n -
I LetI,rs similar 70 the ones from