Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-10-29
WIPE OUT The RATS
They Cost the Country Millions Of
Dollars.
need OF WIDESPREAD COOPERATION

|
There Should Be General Rat Kill
ing In Every Section Of the Country
"A Vigorous Campaign Would
Leave Much Food for the People
It Is a Work for Boys and Also
Work for Men.
By T.. Fl. Jcter. Editor Agricultural
Extension Service.
There is one parasite very common
in South Carolina which Is without Il
single redecming characteristic, and
which should everywhere be routed
and destroyed. In fact, II has been
stated and some fanciful writer's
have prophesicd that time would
come when there would be struggle
decide which would possess the earth.
Practical folks. OF course. have very
little fear OF anything like this. but
they do set the rat down as a costly
and a dangerous nuisance.
The department of agriculture ut
Washington. through its biological
survey, has recognized the seriousness
OF the rat in the program OF food pro-
duction and food conservation, and
has classified him in a recent bulletin
| by Mr.. David r. Lantz as the worst
animal pest in the world. The losses
from his dcprcdations amount to many
millions of dollars yearly-to more. in
fact. than those from all other injur-
ious mammals combined.
OF the four species which have been
brought to America, for none Is ma
tive. the brown rat Is the most de-
structivc and. except the mouse, the
most numerous and most widely dis
trbuted. This rat was brought TO
America just before the Revolution
airy war. and in spite of the fact that
man has since wagcd constant war
fare on it, this breed has been able TO
gradually extend its range. and to
steadily increase its numbers, because
of it's wonderful ability to adapt it,
self to all surroundings. He is sly and
omnivorous, feeding upon all kinds of
animals and vegetable matter. and
from it's home in filth visits dwellings,
and storcrooms to pollute and destroy
human food. While II does not eat
so much Of this food. it causes much
greater waste by pollution.
In fact II is estimated by statsti-
clans that these creatures destroy
crops each year, and other property.
valued at over s@00.O00.000. 1t is hard
to conceive Of this amount OF food and
property being destroyed each year.
when we notice the small amount OF
damage done by a single rat in a
night. but II We take the earnings OF
200, 900 men, let them work hard each
day. at reasonable wages for their
labor, ut the end of the year they will
only replace in wealth what rats have
destroyed in an equal length OF time.
On the average farm, if the grain eat
en- and wasted by rats and mice could
be sold, the farmer could use this 10
pay his taxes. In fact: b. the estcr-
mination of the rat there will he
enough food materials saved to pay
our normal taxes in this state.
Were il not for the fact that the rat
has natural enemies, such as wcasels.
skunks. and some kinds of hawks and
owls, the rate of increase would he
very much greater. One investigator
who kept two female rats in captivity
for thirteen months stated that during
that time they produced &c littcrs. to-
falling $50 young, and another invcs-
tigator figured that the progeny OF one
pair of rats would, in three years
number OSLO
Traps. poisons and other devices OF
man have served. in addition TO its
natural enemies. TO keep the pest un-
der some control. Cats and dogs also
destroy many. then the male rat is
frequently n cannibal who eats his own
family. This IL about all that can he
put down in the favor of the rat. eX-
cept for the fact that he does some
times eat carrion. The world has been
fighting the rats for centuries. without
organization of any kind. but at the
same time the world has been steadily
feeding them and building for them
fortresses for concealment.
According to Mr.. Lantz. II these rats
are to he found on equal terms they
must he denied food and hiding places.
The people must organize and rid the
Individual communities Of the pest.
There is yet n short while before the
crops are harvested in which consid-
cradle good may be done In destroy
ing the number Of rats that Will be fed
during the coming winter. Organized
efforts should he put forth on all
farms, and in every community, to-
make way with the hiding places. and
TO so construct any building that they
may be rat proof: then, with poison.
traps and organized rat hunts, the pest
should be exterminated as closely as
possible.
The world Is now on reduced ra-
tions, and the foodstuffs which these
pests destroy Is n serious matter. 1t
is said that we might get better idea
OF what the S20O.000.000 value lost by
means Of rats. when we consider that
this amount, would pay board bill, at
SO a week, of 3S4.6l5 men for one
year. How long Is II supposed that we
would pay such a board bill of such
number Of men who did nothing but