The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-07-20
Rats Quite Hard
to Exterminate
All-Important Control Meas
ures Are Removal of All
Food and Shelter.

prepared by the United States Department
OF Agricuture.)
A few very simple measures con-
sistently employed will rid a farm or
community OF rats, 1t is stated In q
new farmers bulletin, How to Get
Rid OF Rats by James Silver, bio
logical assistant Of the biological sur
vey, United States Department of Ag-
riculture. 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-
ployed, success attends only close ap-
plication and persistent effort.
The all-important measures to be
taken are the removal Of food and
shelter from the rats, poisoning and
trapping them, and, certain conditions,
fumigating their burrows. These meas
ures should be taken not only by in
dividuals but by entire communities.
Foodstuffs should be stored in rat
proof containers, waste and garbage
should be disposed of in tightly COW
cred vessels, and no trash or refuse
should be allowed to accumulate to
provide food, shelter or breeding
places for the pests.
Barium Carbonate Is Best.
The most effective means known to
the department for destroying rats is
by poisoning, wherever 1t can be en-
ployed with safety. Barium carbonate
has been found the most satisfactory
Of the various poisons that might be
used. The bulletin gives directions
for applying 1t successfully. Trapping
Is equally effective, but requires more
skill and labor. It Is recommended
where the use of poison seems mad
visable. The simple and inexpensive
snap type Of trap, strongly made, is.
all that is necessary. Where there are
large numbers Of rats a good many
traps should be used.
Tn fields, along bitches. banks and
levees, around farm buildings and in
dirt cellars rat burrows dug in solid
earth may sometimes be fumigated
with carbon bisulphide, or with the ex-
haust from a gasoline engine, such as
an automobile or tractor. The ex-
baust is directed into the rat burrow
by means Of 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. a liberal supply
Of flake naphthaline has been found
10 keep rats away. The use Of these
flakes where foodstuffs are stored Is
not recommended on account Of the
odor. e,st,1ts .s.'l. I. -s. L9S-
Cheap Rat Insurance.
The importance of rat-prooing ex-
listing buildings as far as possible and
of building new ones so that they are
absolutely rat-proof cannot be too
greatly emphasized. Rat-proofing 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,
but cats are rarely useful against rats.
Cooperative rat hunts are effective
and furnish good sport TO participants.
Organized rat campaigns are very de-
sirable because without general COM
munity cooperation individual places
which are cleaned up are constantly
exposed to relnfestation 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.