Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-09-27
Fighting RATS
How the Government Is Getting Rid
OF Them. '.' =
DESTROY MILLIONS IN PROPERTY
Rodents Can be Destroyed Anywhere "
Proper Methods Are Used-Takes
Time and Care.
BY Frederick J. Haskin.

Proper Methods Are Useo-i akee
Time and Care.
BY Frederick J. Haskin.
Washington, D. CT has recently
been demonstrated in two quarters
that the government Of the United
States is more than a match for rats
and mice. FFy
This is no slight compliment. Gen.
orally speaking, the rats and mice have
the run Of the earth and live on the
bounty Of man despite all he can do
to prevent it. The facts about the
damage done by rats and mice, and the
rate at which they increase, as ascer-
tanned by the learned professors of the
Biological Survey, have been publish
ed before, but it is necessary here to
state them again so that you will be
sure to appreciate the importance OF
this subject.
Be it known then that rats and mice
in this country. every year destroy
property valued at G200,000,oo0, and
that an army of 100000 men may be
considered as employed solely In sup
porting these little household and gar
den pests. The common brown rat
breeds six to eight times year, and q
pair of rats in three years would have
359, ,4S2 descendants IL all the chill
,dren lived and did well. The wonder
is that there is room on earth for any
thing except rats.
The government recently found that
several parts Of its premises in and
about Washington were rapidly ap-
preaching a condition in which the rats
were the main things and the govern
mental activities incidental and some-
what unprosperous. The most con-
spicuous of these places was the MAJ
tional zoo. There were a great many
more rats in the zoo than all other an
imals combined, and the rats probably
ate q great deal more of the expensive
food doled out than did all the other
inmates. Visitors in the zoo could see
rats at any time, and in the evening
they could observe them extensively.
The rats frolicked about the walks In .
large family parties, going from one en-
closure to another sampling the differ
ent kind of food. They paid no att
tention at all to the visitors, and IL q
rock was thrown at them they regis
tered resentment rather than fright, :.
Zoos Home for Rats.
All ZOOS are wont to be rat-infested,
and 1t should be seid that the WASH
ington zoo was not as bad as most OF
them, but it was bad enough. The
trouble with killing rats in a zoo, is
that if poison is used, other animals
are sure to eat 1t, while with traps
there is more or less danger to them.
In the Washington zoo the trouble is
increased by the fact that squirrels,
rabbits, guinea fowls and turkeys roam
the grounds at large. o.
The zoo officials therefore let the
rats more or less alone, but after a
while the zoo became inadequate for
their support and they began invading
the residences which fringe II on all
sides. The residents raised a howl OF
protest They demanded that the gov
ernment either keep its rats at home or
kill them. The Biological Survey,
which has corps of scientific experts
in the determination Of all kinds of
predatory animals, was called into con-
sultation and a man was detailed to the
zoo problem. He solved it by the use
of spring traps The zoo rat colony, II
is learned, has been greatly reduced
and it is confidently expected that 1t
will be abolished. The destruction tof
rats and mice on large scale is O.
problem for experts. The Biological
survey is willing to give advice on the
subject If those who are losing money
through the work Of rats should con-
suit it. Traps must be used in some
places and poison in others, while In
yet others rat-prooing Is the only ef-
fective measure. All Of these things
must be done right to be effective. DIR.
Fowler, the public health officer Of
Washington, has issued a special warn
ing against the careless use Of poison.
Children and domestic animals are en-
dangered by it unless it is used with
the utmost skill and care. @
After cleaning up the zoo, the gov
ernment ratters turned their attention
to the st. Elizabeth hospital for the in
sane, which swarmed with rats even,
more than did the zoo. Veritable herds
of them could be seen on the grounds
in broad daylight. 1t is said that in
this place, too, good progress Is being
made in the work of determination.
Rats Killed Trees.
The governments most distressing
rat problem, however, is now being met
on the experimental farm at Arlington.
Virginia. This rich tract Of land, which
was formerly the estate Of General
Robert E. Lee, is now used by the de-
partment of agriculture for expert
mental work. It was recently discover
ed that forty fruit trees on the farm
were dying as the result of damage
done to their roots by mice and rats
working underground, while It was
probable that great many other trees
IN