Rats in Nurseries. 139 



If stryclmine is employed, apparently wheat alone is used, \Yithout the 

 flour. The wheat must be germinated, and then soaked in the solution of 

 strychnine, and finally roasted. The poison is by this means brought into 

 the interior of the grains. This is important, since it appears that the 

 outer portion of the grain is gnawed off by the rats, and only the inner 

 portion is eaten. 



I would remark that the stirring and kneading of the poison ought to 

 be done, not with the hands, but with wooden utensils. 



As regards the laying of the poison, two points are considered im- 

 portant : first, the poison must lie where the rats are likely to find it ; 

 and second, the places must be easy to find again when fresh poison has 

 to be laid. Several methods are recommended, but the one generally 

 employed was that of digging small channels or passages at a distance of 

 about 25 feet apart over the whole area of the sowings. These channels 

 were lined on each side by narrow strips of turf ; the poison was placed 

 in these on pieces of wood or brick, or on stones, which served to keep it 

 dry, and the channels were then roofed over with boards or bricks. 



Another plan suggested is to lay the poison in perforated bricks placed 

 in groups, several together, each group being covered with twigs of some 

 species of tree for which the rats have a preference, as for instance, in 

 Europe, willow or hornbeam. 



I would, however, suggest that, as Mr. Sparling's rats burrow in the 

 ground, the poison would be best laid in the burrows. 



There is a long statement of cost attached to the articles ; it will be 

 sufficient for me to state that the average cost reduced to India n coinage 

 and measure was roughly about Re. 1-4 per acre, of which about one- 

 third was for preparation of the poison, and the remainder for laying 

 it out. 



A third article, stating the results of the experiments, was promised, but 

 has not yet appeared. 



Rats which burrow in the ground, as most if not all of them do, may 

 also be smoked. The ingredients of the smoking mixture are saltpetre, 

 sulphur, and tar, mixed up with sawdust, but I am unable to give the pro- 

 portions. On the day before the smoking takes place all the rat-holes 

 should be filled up with rubble. Fresh holes will then be formed, and into 

 these burning lumps of the mixture should be introduced. The holes 

 must then be trodden to again, and closed with lumps of turf or stones. 



In conclusion, I would express a hope that if Mr. Sparling adopts any 

 of these methods he will pul)lish an account of the results of his work 

 in the Indian Forester, since the subject is an interesting one to many , 

 both in India and in England. — G. A. Highf, in " Indian Forester:' 



