Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-04
1900 RAT-TAILs.
How the Troublesome Rodents are Ex-
terminated on the Rice Plantations.

How the Troublesome Rodents are Ex-
terminated on the Rice Plantations.
The word "rat'' is familiar to those who
have associated with printers. 1t is ap-
piled to workmen who labor under estab-
lished prices. While it is now applied to
the two-legged human, it originally be-
Ionged exclusively to the fOur-legged
mammal. Its first application in the sense
mentioned was in the reign Of George l..
At that time the Norway or German
rat-the common brown rat-made It's ap-
pearance in England, driving out the
black rats. Georges Hanoyerian party
did not run the government to the salts
faction Of their opponents, ana were call
ed rats. as they did the same as the Ger
man rodents, namely, running out the old
ofice-holders.
This, however, is not pOliticO-historical
nor trades union story. The subject Is
the brown rat, a descendant Of the Nor
way breed, but much larger, which thrives
IN this latitude. He is to be seen every
where. His long tail and bright eyes are
as familiar to the grocery man, the grain
merchant. and every one who has any
thing good to eat. as is his little relative,
the mouse, to the hOusekeeper. He in
tests the rice plantations and Is the cause
of great loss to the planter.
A few days since, speaking to repre-
sentative Of the MORNING News, a promi-
nent planter said that he had been having
a good deal Of excitement in hunting
rats. The little quadrupeds eat the
seed rice, cut into the rice
worth ofc-ai1. besides damaging what re-
mains to such an extent that if used for
seed the result of the harvest viii be very
/ doubtful. They burrow through the river
dams and weaken them so that the water
1 gets in, and If the danger is not speedily
/ discovered a crevasse occurs and the
/ plantation is OverfOwed. At this time OF
/ the year they are to be found in their holes,
/ and the planters hunt them with rat ter
riers.
! The gentleman referred to stated that
/ he had tried ferrets as rat killers, but
/ they were too slow for the work. The rats
/ at one time overran his barn. They not
/ only tunneled through the crop of oats
which he had in the barn, but had
cut holes in every direction through the
| roof of the building. In his efforts to eX-
/ terminate them he had an excellent OPP
pOrtunity for watching the movements of
/ his little rat-kiler, The ferret would
work himself gradually to the rat hole and
/ 20 in. After satisfying himself that Mr..
/ Rat was at home, he would back out and
/ spread himself, as fiat as cobra, in front
/ Of his enemy's place of exit, and await
/ developments. When the rat came out,
/ the ferret. as quick as thought, would
! seize him by the back of the neck, kill him
( and eat out his brains. The process was
/ very positive, and so far satisfactory, but
/ it took too long.
1t was the opinion OF the planter
| that terriers were the best means for
Kidding plantations of the pests. These
| dogs dig them out of their nests and des-
| patch them at once. This season ne
| has a gang of white ditchers at work,
one of whom is an experienced rat-killer.
| This man, by initiating the peculiar squeal
/ Of the rat, eXcites the dogs and makes
/ them better hunters. The gentleman
/ said it was astonishing how many rats
are killed every season. He had never
kept an account himself, but an over
seer whom he once employed told
him that one year l. 900 rats were killed
on the place, and that he had all the tails
to show that he was not counting a tail
too much. OF course the gentleman
would not v0uch for the veracity of this
plantation George Washington.
Hawks are valuable in catching rats,
| and 'pOssums are also adopts in the rat
killing business. Some planters for this
reason do not allow hawks to be shot on
| their plantations.