Evening star., 1949-03-08
This and That
By Charles z. TrdceDell
"TAKOMA PARK.

1AhONA eAfIh.
Dear Sir:
II was much interested in your article on
compost.
There is great deal said about making
a compost pile, but I notice that not many
people make 1t.
"Is it worth while, in your opinion?
"Will it help attract birds in any way?
Will it attract rats?
Things in nature have odd ways of hav-
ing odd results -..-
With best wishes for your splendid efforts
to enliven the home life with new facts I am
Cordially. e. T. M"
compost heap offers little If anything
as far as attracting birds.
It will, however, draw rats.
This is one of its drawbacks, against which
some steps must be taken.
The attraction comes not from garbage
used in the heap (for garbage should not be
used), but simply from the heat engendered
by the composing.
Action by bacteria, aided by moisture and
some chemicals, results in the building up
of heat in the pile.
1t would be interesting for an inQuiSitive
person to use thermometer on a compost
heap and really see how high the tempera-
ture rises.
This heat is attractive to rats, especially
in fall and winter.
Not being in the least fastidious, the rat
simply finds comfort underneath the COM
post pile.
He will tunnel in and through it and
construct runways and .warrens beneath 1t.
The rat has its home, just as the rabbit
does, in the earth.
Though we moderns are inclined to look
upon him simply as a nuisance and a dan
ger. actually the rat has a life Of his own.
No doubt if there were not SO many Of
him. he would prefer to live less packed
and more sanitary life.
It seems impossible, either for rats or
humans, to live on the best terms with ma
ture and ones self in crowds. The COM
munistic idea of things falls down badly in
respect to daily living. Whatever its ideo-
logical failures. in actual practice, COM
munism fails to meet the everyday habits
of mankind.
The rat, selecting compost heap for it's
home, finds it snug and cozy. BY digging
his entrances at the proper angles, he man
ages to keep the rain out.
He discovers that the human element In
the scene is not likely to use the hose on
the heap at this time.
Hence all the rat has to contend with Is
rain and snow. The latter even keeps the
place warmer. Rats have no dlfhculty IN
tunneling through snow. They often make
tunnels is to 20 feet long. rather than go
over the surface. Thus they remain con-
cealed and at the same time keep their feet
dry Very clever animals.
The compost pile is very much worthwhile.
Rats may be eradicated by the use of red
squill, without danger to other animals or
birds ct is best to poke the bait down the
runaWays so that other creatures cannot get
to it. 1t may make them sicko
Making and maintaining the heap must be
carried on according to rules worked out by
experimenters..
The usual thing is for the home gardener
to try to make a compost heap without
reading anything about the job This is the
first mistake Every good book on garden
ing has section devoted to the making OF
the heap The second mistake comes in not
following the directions. The third occurs
when the maker, although he may have
read. and may have followed directions,
fails to follow up. There is certain amount
of steady attention and work to keeping
compost heap, and most often the maker
turns lazy. thinks it too much trouble. lets
old man weather get him down. But he
should not let all this worry him. BY his
failure he simply knows that he is not real
dirt gardener. Not all people can be SUCH
We are beginning to feel that the real gar
dener is born not made; that perhaps he
alone, should make compost heap. Less
determined fellows, however will find it
heap of fun, at least for time, and in the
end come to q greater respect for real gar
deners especially farmers.