New-York tribune., 1908-09-20
INGENUITIES OF RAT CATCHING.
Some Ways of Reducing the Rodent Trb.
How They Destroy One Another.

Science has spoken. and war has been declared
against neighbors the rats. says a writer n
THE London Daily Mail"
The huInanitarianism of the present dav might
doubtless find virtues to extoI in this ubqUtous
enemy, and it would be possible to hold him up
even pattern to ourselves. He is bold and
enterprising Briton and has overrun cont
nepts. He is Industrious and saving as a Scot
and will store acorns. nuts potatoes or any other
food for winter He takes the like
Norseman- He is cleanly in his person. and vii
lick his paw and clean himself dilige1tT
than cat. He is persevering enough tunnel
a way from the drain into any mans cellar, even
through a brick wall. lie live in every cline
and nourish in all circumstances. IN the nltng
wall. along the hedgerOw bank, under tns
unobtrusive domesttcitity that between New Years
Day and the following Christmas one pair can
surround itself with a family circle OF eight HUN
dred. =
the common rat. / am struck with admiration A
sentiment Of-but no; he keeps the worst OF com
mission inoculate plague Down with him.
Away. with him. Kill him any way you can; calnl;;,,-.
OF the rat The obsolete rat catcher allured mn nm
OF aniseed reveIS in the scent oil OF rhOdlun
:, BY night he will follow the trail OF red herring
like a hound hunting a drag The rat catcher for
merly worked with a large wooden trap chamoe5
three four feet in length He scented il. tempt1
the rats within and fed them for a week with
savory food. At last one fine night when the ban
quet was at its height. snap went the trigger. tI
the feeders were fnclosed without injury and mons
got away to carry the tidings- The rat catcnsI
merely took out his catch. Gagged them ready 70 =
sent to the rat pits. and set his trap again re F
quently hundreds taken of night. and vsy
quickly the mansion. the homestead or the oaf1
The rat catcher kept the secrets OF his craft o
himself The story Of the pied piper is BY no means
country folk believed that men could charm rats
The sewers in Paris are well known to be y,
Tested with rats. but the authorities adopt nea.
and extremely humane way OF reducing the nun
cesslVely numerous an electric wire is laid JUST ~
inch or two too high to be reached by an anilsxs
placed at frequent intervals. and directly =. r.
raises himself and rests paw upon the wire VI VI
euted and there Is llls an end f. of @ him. noOU nc
In the days Of wooden ships when vessels kep,
vayoges they frequently became oyerrun with rats
The ships cats did the best they could and os
and multiplied in the depth OF the hold. gnaxlns
NAY Ways Ior themselves and making the seiP 5 "a
knowledge OF the water on the other side Laen
All rats are to some extent csnnibaI IT. whsrs
they plentiful. rat is killed and left. others
into hole within which. no doubt. II is afterwass
consumed N wild rats when caught are .,s IelI iii II
soon tight and consume the dead From ors, tnST.
mon plan TO choose the strongest and fercest IN
order to keep them hungry ard feed them eSass exSss
a more than common liking for their kind I sh
were then let loose again. All the runs and rs. ssn
10 them and the result was soon 70 De a3rgns %ogns
not fully grown and weaker than themselves -
Doubt they taught their vice to others and oen''-
allied the whole ships company. -
There Is. however. a sporting wav or kliilnS
very easily performed but unknown TO many 70
have ready opportunities for carrying r. out.
equipment Is required but strong larte.rs.re
bright bicvcie lamp will answer the purpose shak
well tndeed-and a quick clever terrier: 49,
is steady and has had little experience sifss~n
the stacks Mt thTashnG time viii very soSu -
what Is wanted and become more Keen tha
master ,.ss
In spring. rats. 20 a large extent leave 1svsnks
and take to the country 10 live IN walls ane fhs
and woods They are little seen by DAY s,s.rover
eve that notices such things can easay - ,ight
their haunts and runs. They come out q ..-n
and wander far into the fields. When tns .ssrs -
cut they are very fond or stuhbie. wneIe they
stifl plenty OF grain To BE- picked UP. a't 4, the
travel some distance from their homes n1rarv hs
hedserow- Although the rat Is shv ara w.sn-oach
has great deal OF holiness. and II you - f-ioser
without noise he viii let YOU come nuent ant
NAL You must choose dark night, ana H. u.sr, ard
his home. As you fash the lantern eroula rim
crouching quite still. dazzed and rerpieNts ~ tne
the suddenness oS the Illumination Ihen' a., ard
terrier knows his business. he VIII run -
make short work OF him - With
You may work the whole feld our. a"N e., ire
luck and silence. do deal OF executicna,- bv
great advantage OF the stacks IN the CO. css.- viii
the side Of which IN few weeks the nlacnss ths
be humming but the best night or an n "-
sky is overcast with cloud
~ ra.ylxy ,,fontfer than the SWORD