The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-08-19


To destroy all the animals on the
premises Of a single farmer in a COM
munity has little permanent value,
since they are soon replaced from
nearby farms. If, however, the farm
ers Of an entire township or county
unite in efforts TO get rid Of rats,
much more lasting results may be OBJ
tanned. If continued from year to
year, such organized efforts are very
effective.
Community Efforts
Cooperative efforts to destroy rats
have taken various forms in differ
ent localities. In cities. municipal
employees have occasionally been set
at work hunting rats from their re-
treats, with at least temporary bene-
fit to the community. Thus, in 1904,
at Folkstone, England, a town of
about $4,000 inhabitants, the corpo-
ration employees. helped by dogs, in
three days killed 1,645 rats.
Side hunts, in which rats are the
only animals that count in the contest
have sometimes been organized and
successfully carried out. At New
Burlington, o., rat hunt took place
some years ago, in which each of the
two sides killed over 5000 rats, the
beaten party served a banquet to the
winners.
There is danger that organized rat
hunts will be followed by long inter-
walls of indifference and inaction.
This may be prevented by offering
prizes covering a definite period of
effort. Such prizes accomplish more
than municipal bounties, because they
secure a friendly rivalry which stimu-
lates the contestants to do their ut
most to win.
In England and some Of its colo
mics, contests for prizes have been or
ganized to promote the destruction Of
the English, or house sparrow. but
many of the so-called sparrow clubs |
are really sparrow and rat clubs. for /
the destruction Of both pests is the
avowed object Of the organizations. |
A sparrow club in Kent. England. ac-
complished the destruction of $4,000 |
sparrows and 10000 rats in three
seasons by the annual expenditure Of
but 1920 in prize money. Had ordi-
nary bounties been paid for this de-
struction, the tax on the community
would have been over $1,000.
Many organizations already formed
should be interested in destroying \
rats. Boards of trade, civic socie-
ties and citizens associations in towns
and farmers and women's clubs in
rural communities will find the sub
ject of great Importance. Women's
municipal leagues in several large
cities already have taken up this
matter.
The league in Baltimore recently
secured appropriations Of funds for
expenditure in fighting mosquitoes,
flies and rats. The league in Boston
during the past year, supported by
voluntary contributions for the pur-
pose, made a highly creditable edu-
cational campaign against rats.
Boys corn clubs, the troops Of Boy
Scouts, and similar organizations
could do excellent work in rat CAM
paigns.
Important Repressive Measures
The measures needed for REFRESHING
and eliminating rats and mice include
the following:
/. The requirement that all new
erected shall be made rat
proof under competent inspection.
2. That all existing rat-proof build
ings shall be closed against rats and /
mice by having all openings Access
sible TO the animals, from foundation
to roof. closed or screened by door,
window, grating or meshed wire net
ting.
3. That all buildings not Of rat
proof construction shall be made so
by remodeling, by the use Of materials
that may not be pierced by rats or
by elevation.
A. Protection Of our native hawks
owls, and small predatory mammals.
the natural enemies Of rats.
8. Greater cleanliness about mar
kets, grocery stores, warehouses,
courts, alleys, stables and vacant lots
in cities and villages, and like care
Of farms and suburban premises.
This includes the storage Of waste
and garbage in tightly covered YES
sells and the prompt disposal Of IL
each day.
G. Care in the construction of
drains and sewers, so as not TO pro-
vide entrance and retreat for rats
Old brick sewers in the cities should
be replaced by concrete or tile.
7, The early threshing and market
ing Of grains on farms, so that stacks
and mows shall not furnish harbor-