The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-04-20
.cRAYF|sH MARKET PARALY zED
Odd Result of Warfare Against Rats
CONSUMERS Apprehensive That
Toothsome Crustaceans Have
Been Contaminated by Poison
Spread to Exterminate Rodents.

| d. ( y 4 =
That the crayfish industry is being
ruined as a result of the poisoning
OF rats by the planters in this vi
entity, is the complaint made by the
negroes and others who make bust
ness of catching and selling the
toothsone crustacean which inhabits
The canals and bitches of southern
Louisiana.
AS has already been told in these
columns, a myriad Of rats have made
their appearance in the fields here
about, and are doing great damage
to the young corn, cane and rice
crops. How to account for the pres
enee of the rodents in such large
numbers is beyond conjecture, al
though some argue that the Invasion
is directly traceable to the incessant
rains of the past several weeks, com
b4ned with the high u water in the
MISSISSIPPI river, which has had the
result of forcing the rats to leave.
their usual haunts in the woods and
sWamDs and seek higher ground in
the cultivated fields. Be that as it
may, the rats are very much in eVi-
dence, and how to get rid of them
expeditiously is the problem con-
fronting the planters. AS solution,
some have hit upon the plan of
scattering poison about the fields i'll
large quantities, and it is said that
this method has been quite success
full in disposing Of a great number
of the destructive little animals.
Here comes the rub, however.
Isn't it a Well-knoWn fact that the
first thing a poisoned rat does, when
he feels the deadly drug gripping his
is to make for water?
And isn't it also an incontrovertible
fact that crayfish feed on all man
ner of carrion? Putting two and two
together, the natural deduction is |
that the festive crayfish are now en-
Gagged in feasting to their hearts |
content On rats by the score which |
have made their exit from this world |
via the poison route. Result: Nobody
will purchase or partake Of the con
crustaceans, and such
,oothsome dishes as boiled crayfish,
;rayflsh gumbo and crayfish bisque
Ire for the time being excluded from
he bill OF fare of local households.
Venders of the delicacy report an
absolutely lifeless market, and loud
md long is the wall of remonstrance
which they are sending up.
In the meantime the warfare
gainst the rats continues to be
vaged right merrily on many of the
'iantations in this vicinity, and thou
ands of the rodents are reported to
ave been killed. While some OF. the
'lanters are sticking to the poison
aethod as the strest and most ex-
edltious, others are hunting down
he rats with dogs, and claim that
his is the most effective way of rid
ing the fields OF the destructive
est. The stableman on a plantation
1 the immediate vicinity of Donald
onville went rat-hunting the other
fternoon with a couple of dogs. and
4 less than two hours the CANNES
ad tracked to their lair and killed /
airty-fiYe rats.
J. D. Dry, Of Woodland plantation, {
t. John parish, having learned of t
le damage being done by the rats {
! this section, comes forward with {
le suggestion that the best method Il
DISCRIMINATING the rodents is to q
lace bounty on them of 5 cents a
iece. Mr., Cry says that IN 1910 and /
I'll his plantation was oyerrun with /
ats to such an extent that he an ii
ounced to his hands he would pay t
cents for every rat killed on the 1
lace. The plan worked so well that 1
lis year there are practically no !
ats on Woodland, and Mr.. Dry t
links if the planters hereabout viii /
blow his method they will soon be II
ID of the pest which is now causing t
lem SO much concern, El
Anything that will destroy the rats, s
nd incidentally revive the crayfish +
1dustry, will be gladly welcomed.
Two lots adjoining Louis Dehon'
asidence. 5000. Long terms. ED /