Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-06
Equals Human Population.

1T is therefore evident than an esti-
mate Of the rodent popula ton of the
United States as equal to the human
census would be well below the probable
number. In our insular dependencies
Porto Rico. Hawaii and the Philippines
where the cane fields are especially
overrun with rats. the rodent population
Is undoubtedly several times the human
population.
Computing the upkeep of the rat as
one-half cent per day. and estimating
one rat to each person. the sum of 1857,
oOO0O annually is lost to the country
by the depredations of this pest.
THE determination Of rats is not near
ly so easy as fly destruction. An adult
rat will on the average produce young
six times yearly and from six 10 twelve
young In each litter. There have been
known cases where a full-grown female
Uttered twelve times in year. rat
can produce when. three months old.
This remarkable fecundity. together
with the instructive secretive habits Of
the rat, which. being animal of noe
turnal habits lies hidden during the
day and is active at night, while his
human foe is asleep. readily accounts for
the large rat population in any locality
and emphasizes the difficulty of rat de-
struction.
Rats can be destroyed by trapping,
by poisoning and by using natural enc
mics. as certain breeds OF cats and dogs.
To insure success to these measures it
will be necessary to curtail the rats
food supply by properly disposng OF
garbage and table refuse and by pre-
venting rats from gaining access to such
food as is contained in pantries, grocer
les. markets. stables. etc. The municipal
government will have to assist the efforts
of citizens along this line by creating
and enforcing suitable ratproofing laws.
Cut Out Their Refugees.
ITO merely keep premises clean and
free OF rubbish will be Of but little bene-
fit as rodents generally, even when
abundant rubbish is available, prefer
more secure covert. as that beneath
floors and within double walls and cell
ings So along with other measures for
the destruction of rats all buildings,
chicken yards, garbage receptacles, side
walks and planked areas must DC built
ur repaired to prevent rat harborage.
Rat proofing by elevation is chiefly
applica bic To small and medium size
frame dwellings. The intent is to have
sufficient elevation, about two feet, so
that the ground area beneath Will be
as exposed and free from covert as I'M
built upon land Marginal rat-proofing
will suffice in more pretentious dwell
ingS where sufficient care can be eX-
ercised TO prevent rats from gnawing
through the plank hoors.
u
concrete walls at the periphery. sunk
into the ground two feet or more with
one half-inch mesh wire netting COW
ering sides and top. Garbage cans
should be of Serviceable metal with
properly fitting tops.
plank sidewalks and plank cover
ings for yards should be avoided Gin
dcrs or concrete are preferable for this
purpose The latter should have mar
ginal protection TO prevent rats from
burroWing beneath 1t.
Double walls with a dead space be-
tween should be avoided or IL used
they should be rat PROCEED at top and
bottom with heavy wooden timbers
four by four joists, or by concrete
| fill Attics should be well opened and
kept free of dunnage or other refuge
| for rats
These precautions against rat har-
| borage and for the protection of food
supplies. I'm connection with careful
trapping and poisoning, will be attend
| ed with considerable success toward
the destruction Of rats.
Conceal the Traps.
There are several important points
| placed wherever rats have been ac-
| customed 10 frequent for feeding pur-
| poses Traps should be more or less
| concealed. the small snap traps by
| scattering dust -four or cornmeal on
and about them, and the cage traps by
pieces of sacking, straw Or rubbish
| leaving only the opening free. The
prerequisite of successful trapping is
| that no food other than the bait should
/ be. available TO the foraginG rodent
| other things being equal, highly savOPy