Semi-weekly herald., 1909-02-22


distributing the dreaded bubonic
plague and other diseases. Boards OF
health and the marine hospital sery-
ice In several of our maritime cities
have been prosecuting active war
against the rodents. and large sums
have been expended In efforts to ef-
feet their cxtirpation. No one meth
cd has proved adequate and only by
concerted, systematic and persistent
effort is 1t possible TO reduce and keep
down their numbers. The rat-proof
construction of buildings. the constant
use of traps, and the use of polsons
wherever possible. will go far toward
assuring public safety. Experiments
with various poisons and mechanical
means OF destruction have been made
during the year, and report on the
subject with recommendations will
soon be issued from the agricultural
department"
Other countries are troubled with
rats quite as much as we are. Max
well Blake, the vieilant and thought
fui American consul at Dunfermline.
sent recently to the state department
ciety for the Destruction OF Vermn."
Headed by Sir James Crichton Browne
and the duke of Bedford, deputa-
lion waited upon Lord Darlington at
the offices of the board of agriculture
to urge him TO appoint a commission
10 inquire into the subject OF the
destruction cause to crops by rats.
The deputation pointed out the enor-
nous damage done by them, which
amounts, on most moderate compu-
tation, TO about 75.00O.OO0 per annum
in Great Britain. This is arrived at
by allowing only one rat per cultivated
ncre of land. Assuming that each rat
does damage to the extent of one
farthing per day, this works out on
ure mentioned. Sir James Crichton
Browne incidentally stated that 2,000,.
900 people died OF plague in India
and said 1t had been proved that the
rat was the chief cause of the spread
OF Infection. II was also stated that
the expenditure for rat poisons In
the United Kingdom amounts 10 a
million and quarter dollars per an
mum, which is considered many timef
more than would be properly required
to exterminate the vermin If the cam
palgn was systematically conducted
Consul Snodgrass of Kobe reports
that since DR.. Koch advised he keep
ing of cats as the best me3ns for The
prevention of the plague, the Japanese
authorities have been active in in.
vestigating the number of cd,s man
tanned and their relative values. The
result of Investigations made by The
police shows that there are b4,3Sg
cats IN Osaka. city of I 500 COO Ieo
pie. the families in which cats are
kept numbering 4S.222. In addition
there are 1896 homeless caIs. II IS
noteworthy that in certain parts OF
that city recognized as most liable 10
the plague no cats are found
The officers of the biological survey
say that the gopher also does a great
deal of damage to the crops, because
il feeds upon the roots of plants and
destroys great quantities of grain and
garden stuff. II also throws up
mounds of earth. which bury the grass
and other crops. Gophers have re
Gently proved serious annoyance to
the irrigation service by burrowine
under the dams and embankments oi
| the reservoirs and canals, causing ex-
pensive leaks and breaks No animal
however, is more easily controlled by
of the reclamation service the bio
logical survey recently sent out men
to devise ways and methods of trap
ping gophers. so that now the animals
are practically exterminated upon the
government irrigation system, al
though they are likely to come back
again II they are not looked after Il
is impossible to estimate the amount
OF damage that they have done.
Rabbits are also doing n good dea
of damage. particularly in the frui
i countries. In Australia a few year.
ago they became so numerous that tn,
entire population used to join in, rab
bit drives and slaughter millions o
them at single meeting, Rabbits
breed so rapidly that 1t is difficult I,
keep them down, but 1t has been dis
covered that an inexpensive white
wash made of lime and sulphur will
protect orchard trees against rabbits
for least year. when It must b,
renewed.
Wolves and coyotes are being grad
ually exterminated on the western
plains. Secretary Wilson says tina
more than l 500 wolves and about 25
900 coyotes were killed last year b,
locating their breeding dens and pols
oning the young. He urges that thi
work be continued throughout tn,
west so long as wild land exists II
vast tracts where they can find saf,
harbOrage and breeding prouuds q