The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-26
RAT AND MOUSE TRAPS.

The Demand for Them Keeps Pace With
the Worlds Growth in Population.
'oh, yes, we are still selling traps said
a rat and mouse trap manufacturer, mil
lions Of them every year ,-Ond more and
more all the time. The sale Of rat and
mouse traps keeps right up with the con-
stantly growing population.
RAT and mouse traps are used every
where, and suppose that II, at any time,
you should omit the regular census in a
country you could make a pretty accurate
estimate Of that country's population
based on its demand for rat and mouse
traps st.tbat time, as compared with such
demand at a time when the population
was known.
'In some European countries, more
densely populated than ours, where every
inch Of the ground Is cultivated and where
rats can do comparatively more damage
than here, they give q small bounty on rats,
just as In some parts Of this country there
are still paid bounties for the destruction
Of wolves and other vermln.
But rats and mice can do great damage
not only in fields but in warehouses and
in many other places, and there is a con-
slant warfare on them al over the world,
with a corresponding demand for traps.
There are now made many kinds OF rat
and mouse traps, and inventors are con-
stantly producing new ones, but Of mouse
traps there are still sold enormous num-
bers Of the time honored trap familiar
10 many generations Of people, known in
the trade a. a ohoker trap, this being the
an eient mouse trap, with lis wood part
stained red, and with holes in the sides for
the mice 10 put their heads through TO get
at the bait attached to the traps trigger.
These are still made, In square and In
round traps Of from one 70 six holes In each
trap, Just as they have always been, and
they are all, as they have ever been, stained
red, Why red9 don't know, and I've
been selling rat and mouse traps for good
many year,, too. suppose red was the
most convenient stain at hand when these
traps were first made. No manufacturer
would think now Of having a wood mouee
trap blue, and II he did doubt II 1t would
sell.
"other kinds Of wooden rat and mouse
traps are now sold in great numbers, but
are not stained red OF any other color,
but are finished either oil stained or in
the natural wood. These traps were 80
made to start with and their manufacture
Ia so continued, just as we continue to
paint the choker traps red.
Where rats and mice are numerous
plenty Of them are caught In traps without
any DAlt VI COuTbe traps arc commonly
set near where the rodents come out; but
they may be set TO advantage in many
other places.
For instance, rats and mice do not often
unless they are compelled TO- take to the
open in room. They are more likely TO
skirt the Dashboard In going from one
point 20 another. Fiat traps. for example,
placed along such routes. are likely to catch
them even II the traps are undated. II
rat OF mouse steps on such a trap in fol-
lowing lis way II gets no further.
There Ia a more or less common notion
that mouse traps that have been much
used get finally a mousy odor about them
and that the mice avoid them and the traps
are useless Not So in my own experience.
A mouse trap Is good for Its work as long
as IL remains In order.
1In temperate countries there are more
rat and mouse traps sold in the fall than at
any other season, for Il 10 then that rats
and mice come In from the fields and from
out OF doors generally for the greater COM
fort they find In human habitations and In
barns and other shelters.
American traps exported Thousands Of
grose annually. IL Ia stating simply the
fact 10 say that American rat and mouse
trspe like every other sort Of American
mechanical contrivance, are the best In the
world, and they 90 everywhere. But not
without competition this mostly from the
Germans, an active, enterprising people
who never fail TO press every trade oppor-
tuntty ener getically.
'In one South American country IN which
We had long sold many traps we found our
business falling on steadily, and when we
came 10 send down there We found the
Germans undertaking us on a trap similar
10 our own. IL was o trap that We cell at
Wholesale at a price that would make YOU
laugh, II should quote g. II IL 80 low; but
with cheaper labor the Germans were able
10 oifer Il still lower. But while this trap
was similar 10 ours and sold cheaper, Il
lacked our traps durability and effective
ness.
All the parts Of our traps are, Of couree,
made and the treps are assembled by
machinery, but each and every one Of our
traps, including the cheapest. Il separately
tested by hand before Il IL Rent out Our
traps are 20 put together that thew will
stay together, and every one Ia 40 nicely
adjusted that II will work.