The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1923-07-05
Rats Quite Hard
to Exterminate
~All-lmportant Control Meas
ures Are Removal of All
Food and Shelter.

prepared by the United States Department
Of Agricultural
n rev very simple measures con
sistently employed will rid a farm or
d community of rats, il is stated in a
new farmers bulletin, How TO Get
MA OF Rats by James Silver, bio
logical assistant of the biological sur
Vey' United States Department OF Ag-
'icuiture. Many of the poisons, vi.
ruses, traps and contrivances sold for
the purpose accomplish little real
good. Rats are hard to exterminate.
and regardless Of the method EN-
pi0yed, success attends only close APP
%rlicatiOn and persistent effort.
lie all-impOrtant measures TO be
AIKEN are the removal of food and
shelter from the rats, poisoning and
trapping them. and, certain conditions,
~tumigating their burrows. These meas
nres should be taken not only by in
dividualS but by entire communities.
toodStuffS should be stored in rat
proof containers, waste and garbage
SHOULD he disposed of in tightly COW
cred vessels, and no trash or refuse
should he allowed TO accumulate to
provide food. shelter or breeding
plas:es for the pests.
sarium Carbonate Is Best.
The NOS effective means known 10
the department for destroying rats is
by poisoning, wherever IL can he EN-
nloyed with safety. Barium carbonate
has been found the most satisfactory
# the various poisons that might be
nSed. The bulletin gives directions
Tor applying il successfully. Trapping
IS equally effective. but requires more
skill and labor. II is recommended
where the use of poison seems mad
disable. The simple and inexpensive
map type Of trap. strongly made, is
al that is necessary. Where there are
large numbers Of rats a good many
rrars should he used.
In fields. along bitches. banks and
evees. around farm buildings and in
lirt cellars rat burrows dug in solid
earth may sometimes he fumigated
with carbon bisulphide, or with the ex-
haust from q gasoline engine, such as
an automobile or tractor. The ex-
haust is directed into the rat burrow
by means Of a hose, and the entrance
around the hose is sealed with damp
earth. In seed warehouses and SINH
lar structures where sacked grain is
stored temporarily. q liberal supply
Of fake ~naphthaline has been found
to keep rats away. The use Of these
flakes where foOdstuffs are stored is
not recommended on account Of the
ndor.
Cheap Rat Insurance.
The importance Of r%at-prooing eX-
isting buildings as far as possible and
Of building new one so that they are
absolutely rat-proOf cannot be too
greatly emphasized. Rat-prooing a
building is In the long run the cheap
est rat insurance, and is the best and
most permanent means of rat rid
dance. Efficient rat dogs often help,
nut cats are rarely useful against rats.
Cooperative rat hunts are effective
and furnish good sport TO participants.
Organized rat campaigns are very de-
Sirahle because without general com
munity cooperation individual places
which are cleaned up are constantly
exposed to reinfestation from adjacent
property. Assistance in planning, or
ganizing and prosecuting antirat cam
paigns will gladly be given by the
biological survey in the form of di-
rect aid whenever practicable. or by
furnishing plans. Instructions, publicity
material and sample posters with
which communities can carry on their
own campaign against this most de-
structive animal in the world.