St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-01-05
About Ferrpts.

81 am fond OF rats, mice, mole,
reaches. flies, fleas, moths, scorpions,
ants and like vermin, becauseeI have
studied their habits and ways nearly all
my life, :" said little man in spettacles
yesterday. He sat at his desk in a
small shop in a busy street down town,
writing busily. At his side was a pen
about five feet long, two feet wide and
three feet deep. In it were twenty or
thirty ferrets coiled together in an I'M
dulatlng mass of fur, with here and
there sharp muzzle and a pair of
bright little eyes rising above the mass
and looking intently at the little man
who wrote at the desk.
There was time, many years ago."
continued the little man, wheeling
around in his chair, ''when vermin were
more or less obnoxious to me, but
began to study their habits and natures,
and in short time became so much
interested in them that all dislike dis
appeared. Invent into the business of de-
stroying them about 1850, and since that
l have had my hands full. Imake con-
tracts to rid houses, hotels and institu-
tons of rats for so mnch year. NV
charges vary considerably. Fora good
sized city residence l remove ali rats
and keep them away for year for fifty
dollars"
''How do you do it?''
'.With these little beauties" said the
little man, turning affectionatelv toward
the pen. As he did so the ferrets wrig-
gled out of the cosey tangle in which
they had lain and bounded upward
with their fore-paws in the air and their
heads thrown back, exhibiting Joy at
every jump. They were pretty little
creatures, about as large in girth as an
average rat. but almost twice the
length. Their heads were rat-shaped,
their fore-claws very sharp and their
activity and quickness amazing.
II have thousand of them, said the
rat-catcher, ''and Iwouldn't sell the lot
for $4,000. have trained them all so
that they obey me unhesitatinglv.
When 1wish to clear house of rats I
take some of my ferrets-five or six or
ten-and slip them into the rat holes.
l leave them there all night and whistle
for them on the following day. They
come right to me and take them home.
No rat can escape a ferret The rats
run from ferrets like mad, but it is use
less. Wherever a rat goes ferret can
60. The ferret catches rat and then |
eats him-f1esh, bones, hair, tail, ev-
erything. Ferrets cannot live without |
rats for any length of time. 1 feed |
mine hair, feathers and fur regularly
twice a week"
where do you get your ferrets?''
81 breed them. Different breeds can
be crossed as easily as with dogs
He took bit of raw meat in A bio
pair of iron nippers, and held it at q
height of about four feet over the den
Of ferrets. Every one of the little crea-
Iures bounded fiercely for the meat.
He raised it as they jumped. and only
half a dozen of the best jumpers sue
seeded in fastening their jaws on it.
10 show how tenaciously the ferrets
held their grip, the rat catcher swung
he meat around his head and slammed
he ferrets against the sides of the pen,
,ut they could not be shaken from their
lold. Then he selected one, seized it
~ the back of the neck and tore it
Dose from the meat.
This one" he said, holding it aloft,
is new breed. 1t is a cross between ,,
he American mink and the Fitch fer
ct, and can stand the climate better ,
han the increased breed. Ferrets re- :
uire considerable care, but avoid any i.
ontagious diseases by very simple :
lam"
"What is it?''
'.As soon as ferret gets the least bitIl !
& shoot it and throw it away. LISA /.
Use plan, for the rest are never trout. i
d. IN Y Sun. :
Bush, of Cherryvale, Kan.
hen child nineteen years ago, lost Y
% sight of one eye. he has Just re- b
,vered from . malaril fever and with .
salth his eyesight has returned. Chs s
go NeUs. q