Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1918-11-29
The Only Good Rat Is A Dead One.

tory goes. when the rat has been accorded
a place in the eternal scheme of things
that gave him an economic value. Once
upon time some discerning person re-
marked that fieas were created only to
keep dogs from having a too easy time
in life. On the same basis we might con-
slider the rats place as barrier to keep
man from saving all his wheat, or all his
chickens, or all his corn-to keep him from
making too much money,
Whatever the scheme, and whatever the
| good the rat may be made for, he has lost
prestige at tremendous rate during the
last few years, and more recently has sunk
still further through some slanderous per-
sons allusion to him as an ally of the
kaiser.
We are convinced, however, though the
rat may have some benefcent attributes,
the indictment the world in general has
returned against him, being made up of
many counts, any one of which ought to
convict him, is supported by sufficient
evidence that his life, collectively speak
ing, should be forfeited in the largest num-
bers that traps, poison, men, boys, dogs
and all other agencies can take toll of.
Certainly the rat has no proper place in
Maryland. II is conservative estimate
to say that each farm in the State harbors
an average of ten rats. which means that
Marylands 1929 farms are harboring
close tohaf million rats II we count each
rats destructiveness at So year, we find
loss Of almost one and half million
dollars has been taken by the pests as toll.
Concrete figures, however are always
more convincing. Starting on August 10,
the Zoology department of the State Col
lege started series of rat control demon
strations on Talbot county farms, assisted
by members of the staff of the Biological
Survey of the Government and County
Agent Walls. The primary object of the
demonstrations was to obtain data, still
figures cited in the foregoing paragraph,
amounted to a total value of $l.326 dur
ing the thirty five days on the work.
The number of rats and the amount of
destruction they did came as surprise
even to those who were familiar In
q general way with the economic loss
caused by the rodent. The majority
of farmers were unaware of the large
number Of rats on their places, yet some
stated their losses from rats as high as rs
bushels of wheat or 8 barrels Of shelled
corn.
Thirteen farms were worked during the
Talbot county campaign with total catch
Of 425 rats The highest catch on any farm
was 108 rats At the farm where this
number was caught the traps were used
for a total of only six days The first
day the traps we're set, IS in all, IS
rats had been caught before all traps
had been placed The second highest
catch was SO rats the third, SO rats. The
majority Of the farms averaged close to 80
rats each. Only one farm ran below this
number This was expected because of
the traps being set where the barn was a
half mile from the house, and which con-
tanned nothing but hay. This exception
was selected for demonstrating that rats
90 into the fields during the summer to a
considerable extent.
In addition to the rats captured during
the campaign, there were. no doubt. many
more killed by poison. Barium carbonate
was the poison used.
While il is true that for the most
part the farms utilized were the ones
which the owners were reasonably sure
harbored rats, it Is well within the limits
Of probability that an average Of 10 rats
per farm in Maryland is not an overesti-
mate On this basis Of calculation Talbot
county is losing $4,000 per year. The
State loss has been stated in preceding
paragraph This loss is highly preventable
by systematic trapping and poisoning.
Campaigns for rat control should be part
Of every farm program just the same as
spraying is regular farm practice.
II every Maryland farmer would pur-
chase two dozen or more rat traps and de-
vote the time necessary to set and reset
the traps for one week. four times a year,
the amount of our annual loss from rats
would not occur. To obtain the greatest
efficiency it is suggested that the traps be
set % just previous to the Matching Of the
spring brood of chickens. (2) just before
the wheat is brought in, (3) in September
when preparing TO harvest corn, 90 and
In December in order to get those rats that
have come in from the fields. outlying fod-
der and grain stacks.
II is the patriotic duty Of every farmer
during this emergency, and paying pro-
position at any time, for him TO set his
traps and systematically poison the rat.
in order to conserve this years food crops
and prevent loss Of next years young
poultry.
The extension Service will be glad to
assist any community through cOrespon-
dence and by giving lectures and demon
stratiOns where the matter is taken up
and suggests that the local County Agent
be called upon to assist in making ar
rangements for such help.
Contributions To Social Service
League.