Show i I f t LEA from fromI T I a V hr r HARRIET MAY WILSON Methods of Rat Control In order that rats be permanently excluded from any premises it Is absolutely necessary that the premises premises prem premo be bo kept in a sanitary state and that buildings be so constructed as asto asto asto to prevent the entrance of the rodents rodents rodents ro ro- dents such buildings must moreover moreover moreover more more- over be kept in good repair HOW now TO RAT RAT A BUILDING The first thing to do with a building building building build build- ing having brick stone or concrete foundation is to search with utmost care for all places where rats might possibly enter and to close such openings with metal sheeting or plug them with concrete All basement windows or other large openings should be screened tightly with standard mesh 8 galvanized hardware hard ware cloth This screening will serve serveto to keep out flies files as well as rats and mice Buildings without rat-proof rat foundations should be lifted t to an elevation elevation ele ele- of at least 18 inches from the ground and kept open on all sides with no litter permitted to accumulate underneath CONTROLLING RAT INFESTATION One of the best methods of control control control con con- is to destroy all places where the rats can house themselves and raise their families without fear of molestation The commonest rat shelters are dead spaces between walls and beneath floors ping or sealing such walls by fitting sheet metal between the joists and nailing it to the sill is effective inclosing in inclosing inclosing closing that type of rat shelter Other common rat shelters are as everyone everyone knows bins and boxes and bags where produce is stored also lumber piles and piles of trash and refuse Trash and waste should of course not be allowed to accumulate accumulate late but should be burned at once and stored materials should be elevated elevated ele ele- at least 1 Hi feet Since food is one of the things which the rat must have it is important important im important to cut off oil his supplies Not only does a food shortage limit the number of rats which can subsist upon given premises but the resultant resultant resultant re re- re- re hunger causes rats to take ke poison bait more readily DESTROYING THE RATS Methods for prevention of rat Infestation infestation in In- must usually be combined with methods for destroying such rodents as may already be present Probably the most efficient means for killing the rats is poisoning Two objections may be urged against poisoning poi pol one is that poison placed about the premises may be dangerous danger ous to domestic animals and to children chil cM dren the other is that the poisoned rats may die in inaccessible places where the decomposition of their bodies will give rise to obnoxious odors The first objection may be overcome by using as mild a poison as possible and by using great care carein carein carein in choosing the places where the poison is placed and the second by using a very slow-acting slow poison PREPARING A POISON BAIT One of the best poisons to be used for the purpose is barium carbonate precipitated This is a heavy white mineral salt only mildly poisonous poi poi- tasteless odorless odorless- slow inaction Inaction in inaction action and inexpensive Nevertheless less it must be used with some care for if taken in sufficient q it is fatal to cats dogs chickens and even to larger animals The barium carbonate should be thoroughly thor thoro thoroughly incorporated with a soft cereal ce ceo cereal real bread corn meal rolled oats or into meats such as hamburger steak or sardines or into apples melons or tomatoes Any of these will attract the rodents The bait should be freshly prepared and should be distributed in all places where the rats are known to feed Another poison and one which has the advantage of being unattractive to human beings and domestic animals ani ant mals is red This poison may be bought in either a powder or a liquid form it can be readily mixed with a great variety of baits RAT DETERRENTS It is well known that rats have a marked aversion to certain odors Flake naphthalene for instance is objectionable to them and ma may be used to keep them away from places where sacked grains are arc stored Other Oth Oth- Other er compounds such as creosote carbolic carbolic carbone car car- bolic bone acid other coal and wood tar derivatives kerosene and the oils of peppermint and wintergreen are objectionable to rats and are frequently frequently fre free used to drive or keep the rodents out Certain other compounds com corn pounds such as copperas powdered sulphur lime and lye are effective Tor For further furth oD on OD method cl of ton con trot hag Tilt rats nd live fire eu cents to Superintendent of 0 Documents Washington D D. D C. C asking ad lot for N N. N 1171 |