The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-01-05

everywhere. In the dwelling tney geL
into the cellar, destroying everything
they find suited to their taste and they
are not very particular In their tastes
either. II the building is frame
one, they manage somehow to get be-
tween the plastering and siding, where
they hold full possession from cellar
to attic. In the barn and granary
they act like parcel Of pigs. In the
hennery they eat the eggs and destroy
the young chicks. In fact, there 10
neither peace nor security where rats
abide in large force and abide they will
unless driven off and killed.
They are cunning and shrewd, and
are az hard to trap aud secure as q
burglar. Money is good bait for
him, but it won't catch rats. Even ba-
con and cheese sometimes fail TO entice
them into trap. All kinds of leger-
domain are necessary in trapping rats.
A few may be caught, but there it is
apt to end. Whether the captured
ones have way of telling their friends
of their misfortune, and warning them
against a similar fate is not known, but
the fact remains that after few are
caught, the remainder are too wary.
Their shrewduess and sagacity is in
some instances almost equal TO that
of the fox. Stories are told of their
carrying eggs up or down stairs with
out breakage. and carrying of pancake
intact, by first rolling them together.
While rats usually inhabit buildings,
especially old tumble-down ones wbeie
they find good hiding places, yet they
, are frequently found burrowing in the
fields, where they do great damage to
grain. In their habits they are some
what migratory, frequently changing
from one farm or locality to another.
In DISCRIMINATING them it is necessa-
ry to study their nature and habits to
insure success. Rats must be closely
allied to the burglar. Both are noe
turnal, committing their depredations
chiefly during the night, resting and
studying mischief during the day.
Like him, they prefer some dark, se
cluded spot where they may not be
disturbed while at work or where the
effects of their work may not be readily
seen.
To get rid of either requires about
the same procedure. We must wage
continual warfare and be always on his
track, and the nearer we keep to him
(the rat or the burglary, the easier it lie
to mail" him or drive him away. Both
are somewhat timid creatures and don't
like the smell of powder or the rattle OF
shot.
| Ordinarily rats are about as cowardly
as most OF us would be in the front
rank of an attacking army, in the first
battle. While they generally lose no
time in getting away, they have been
known to turn on their pursuers and
show fight, and as assail4 ants they are
not to be despsed. Frequently has
their bite proved fatal to human beings.
1t is not generally known that rats
are guilty of spreading contagious dis
eases. Such diseases as hog cholera,
and others that are caused by germs or
bacteria can be spread by them. They
are also known to be infected with and
propagate trichipB, or pork worms. OF
a number of rats killed near slaugh-
ter house where they had access to the
offal, about two.thirds were found to
be infected.
The first principle in battling with
rats is to deprive them of hiding places
by cleaning up around the premises,
removing rubbish, wood and lumber
piles, raising old buildings high enough
from the ground to permit cat or
small dog to get under them.
The second is to kill and cripple as
many as possible. The advice TO MAIN
as many as possible may not seem like
very humane advice, but believe the
crippling of one will do more toward
disgusting them with their dwelling
place and driving them away than the
| b 80 nrinplaA
one is a source of annoyance to the
others and they resent it by leaving.
Or, if one can be canght alive and
treated to coat of pine or gas tar and
liberated, it will have the same effect.
With all his bad qualities, the rat is
comparatively clearly animal, and
will not long remain in company with
filthy one. Where they burrow under
the walls OF building, the easiest way
to dislodge them is to put a little con-
centrated I've or potash in their runs.
In short time the potash will slake,
and in passing over it, it sticks TO their
feet, and in trying to lick it off they
only make bad matter worse; in
short time they have sore mouth ana
sore feet, and die or leave in disgust.
They can be poisoned. but this method
is open to 30 many objections that it is
seldom practiced. They can be driven
from their burrows with ferret and
killed by dogs.
We determined upon war of exter-
mination. One held sack at one end,
another killed them as they ran into
the sack (Which lay fat on the ground
and the rats position could east y be
seen), while a third stirred them in
from the other enc of the wall.
The first time we caught about forty,
and few days after, about half as
many more. 1t was a great scheme,
and worked TO a charm.
When localities are Overrun with rats
as is sometimes the case, regular hunts
are organized. The participants, d.
viding into two equal forces, the side
catching the fewest agreeing to pay for
a supper. They go from one farm to
another and sometimes kill thousands
in single day. Ferrets are generally
used on such occasions.
With the premises once thoroughly
cleared of their abominable presence, a
| fa IN nnnd ooto will ronn1lu hf,ld ha