Vol. VI [. No. 162. 



"THE AGEICULTURAL NEWS. 



223 



THE DESTRUCTION OF RATS. 



The qnesti(jn of rat destruction by tj-aps and other 

 means is dis(;iissed in the following extracts from Fann- 

 ers Bulletin 297, of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, which form a, continuation df the particu- 

 lars givon in the last number oi thu Agria alt aval Newfi, 

 in reference to the destruction of these pests by various 

 ipoisons : — 



Traii|)iiig, if persistently followed, is oue of the most 

 •eft'jctive methods of destroying rats. The iitjproved modern 

 traps with a wire fall, which is released liy a baited trigger 

 ^md driven by a coiled spring, have marked advantages over 

 the old forms, and many ni them may be used at the same 

 time, lliese trajjs, sometimes cidled guillotine traps, are of 

 many designs, but the more simply constructed are to be 

 preferred. rrolwl)ly tliose made entirely of metal are tl;c 

 best, a;; they aie less likely to absorb and retain odours. 



I'l illustration of the effectiveness of traps, it may be 

 related tint a year or two ago a large department store in 

 Washington experienced heavy losses of glovt^.s, lace curtains, 

 ^nd other merchandise from rat depredations. For several 

 months the damage amounted to from SlOfto •'J.'^O nightly. 

 After many unsuccesstid attem]its.to al>ate the nuisance the 

 managers were ad\iscd to try the improved, leaps. As a result 

 136 rats were killed during the first twenty nights, when the 

 losses practically ceased, and the method ha-ifbeen continued 

 in the store ever since with satisfactory resujts. 



Guillotine traps should be baited with small pieces of 

 bacon, sausage or cheese. The trigger wire -should be bent 

 inward to bring the liait into proper ])osition to permit the 

 fall to strike the rat in the neck. 



Other excellent baits for rats are oatmeal", toasted bread 

 (buttere<l), and sunflower or pumpkin seeds. When seed, 

 ^rain or meal is used with the guillotine trap, it may be 

 placetl on the trigger i)late, or the trigger wire may be bent 

 outward and the bait sprinkled tinder it. 



Wire cage traps (French) are also useful for catching 

 rats, but in the long run the kinds recommended above are 

 much more effective. While traii[iing is in jirogress, all 

 other articles of food should be removed from the neighbour- 

 hood of the trap, and the bait should be changed often. 

 Rats are very suspicious, and baits and .traps should be 

 handled as little as possible. Increased success may lie 

 iiecured lioth in trapping and poisoning if thtj rats are fed for 

 a inght or two with the kinds of food to be used for bait. 



^Vhen attack is made upon rats byt means of dogs, 

 A ferret is often very useful for the purpose of driving the 

 rats out of burrows and other hiding places ,p that the dogs 

 can capture them. An experienced person having the help of 

 dogs and ferrets trained to work together is often very 

 .successful in destroying the pests. 



In the rice fields of the far East tlie natives build 

 numerous piles of lirush and rice .straw and leave them for 

 several days until many rats have taken shelter in them 

 A portable baniboo enclosure several feet liigli is then set up 

 arotind each pile in succession, and the straW and brush are 

 thrown out over the top while dogs and ni^n kill the trap- 

 ped rodents. Large numbers are killed in this way, and the 

 plan, with modifications, may be utilized in other parts of 

 the world with satisfactory results. A wire netting of tine 

 mesh may be used for the enclosure. 



Kats may be destroyed in their burrows in the fields 

 and in ditches, liy the u.se of carlion bisul|ihidi\ .V wad of 

 cotton or other absorlient material is saturateti with the 

 liquid and iiushcd into the burrow, the oiiening Ijeing packed 



with soil to prevent escape of the gas. All animals in the 

 burrow are asphyxiated. Fumigatioil in buildings is not so 

 effective, as the gas cannot leadily be confined. 



By the persistent use of t^'aps, occasional resort to 

 poison, and the exerci.se of forethought in the construction of 

 estate buildings so as to minimize the opportunities for 

 harbourage, farmers and others may prevent the greater 

 part of the loss and annoyance they now experience from rat 

 ilepredations. The same statement aj)plies in great measure 

 to city and village conditions. Hence co-operation in the 

 warfare on rats is particularly im))ortant and cannot lie too 

 stroTigly urged. 



BRITISH GUIANA RICE CROP. 



The fortnightly report of ilcssrs. Sandbach, Parker, 

 and Co., of Georgetown, dated .Func 2() last, contains 

 the following notes on the present conditions, and pros- 

 pects of the rice cultivation in British Guiana : — 



The weather during the fortnight has been showery, and 

 suitable for growing crops. The young cultivation looks well, 

 and with a continuance of favourable weather, there should 

 be an excellent crop this year. Tlig'area in cultivation is much 

 larger than last or any previous year. 



Local demand continues brisk, and prices remain 

 luialtered. 



Shipments to the islands diu'ing the fortnight amount tcr 

 only 160 bags, and contracts are nearly all completed. No 

 fresh sales to the islands have been reported this fortnight. 



The local market is somewhat better supplied with 

 ileaned rice, as a good many mills have been doing a little 

 work with paddy from the ' short crop,' but this has not 

 affected prices. 



We i|Uote to-day, f.o.b. Demerara, jier bag of 180 Ih. 

 gros.s, 23.'!. 6(/. to 2 is.; per bag of 164 lb. 21.<. lOhd. ti> 

 22,s-. 41rf, good export quality rice. 



RICE PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED 

 STATES. 



The following notes deal, with the rice crop of the 

 United States for the yea"r*l!)07, and are taken from 

 the latest report of the Secretary of Agriculture : — ■ 



Rice is the twelfth crop in point of value this year, and 

 in both (piantity and value the croi> is a record one. The 

 preliminary estimate is a productioit of 21,412,000 bushels 

 of rotigh rice, or 963,r)4(>,000 lb. — an amount a little above 

 the great crop of 1904, and 98 per cent, above the average 

 crfi[( of the pievious three years. This year's crojj is worth 

 !?1 9,500,000 to the farmers," or 36 jiei- cent, above the three- 

 year average. ; 



The exports in the fiscal vear following the crop year 

 1904 were 75,000,000 Itj. of cleaned rice, 4,000,000 It), 

 in 1906, and :i,443,000 It., in 1,907. The imports of 

 rice, less the foreign and home-produced exports were aliout 

 64,000,000 lb. yearly from 19(iO to I9(i:i, and about 

 62.000,000 It), in 1904. .\fter the |Crop of 1904, tlie tide 

 turned, and in 1905 there were net, exports amounting ti» 

 41,00(.),000 It), followed the next year by net imiiorts of 

 43,(»0(.),000 It.., and in 1907 of •61,000,000 'it,. The only year 

 l.cforc 19(J7 when the prod(Xc;tk>n was greater than the 

 consjiniption was 1904, and the piodjiction in 1907 is greater 

 than in that year. Tin; Department pf Agriculture has been 

 heli.iing the rice grower to get better varieties from the 

 Orient, which will change imports into exports. 



