^^ ^- 



paper and, with it, rubbed on the bait. Traps should always be anchored. 

 They are frequently more effective if covered with chaff, fine hay or other 

 litter and it is well to place them behind boxes, barrels and so forth in the 

 natural pathway of the rat. 



Mr. Rogers states that he uses poison effectively for rats at the State 

 Game Farm at Sherburne, N. Y., by putting it on a small shelf inside a 

 box placed bottom up. An entrance hole is bored in one side of the box 

 and the shelf is attached to the opposite side, a partition extending half 

 way up from the floor intervening. The poison, dry corn meal mixed with 

 strychnine, is placed on the shelf and the partition makes it impossible for 

 the rat to carry away any of the poisoned bait. 



VIRUS TESTIMONY CONFLICTING.— There are conflicting re- 

 ports regarding the various viruses used to inoculate rats and destroy them 

 wholesale by spreading disease. Some hold that rats become immune to 

 them within a few generations while others contend that there is a great 

 difference in the effectiveness of the various viruses, and that the best are 

 not subject to this criticism. Mr. J. P. Kellogg states that the Pasteur 

 virus has been used at the Rumson Country Club of Rumson, New Jersey, 

 where mallards are reared in considerable numbers, and that it has been 

 found quite satisfactory. This virus can be obtained of the Pasteur 

 Laboratories, 366 West Eleventh Street, New York City. It is used in 

 liquid form for large areas and gelatin for smaller ones. The liquid form 

 is sold in two sizes, at $1 and $1.50 respectively. The gelatin form is 

 priced at $.50 and $.75. 



USE OF ARSENIC. — The following method of using arsenic is taken 

 from Dr. Forbush: 



"A time-honored way of administering arsenic to rats is to 

 place pieces of bread and butter sprinkled with sugar near their 

 runs night after night, until they have learned w^iere to look for 

 them and their suspicions have been allayed, then to spread finely 

 powdered arsenic thinly over both sides of slices of bread and spread 

 soft butter over the arsenic, or, better, mix arsenic with the butter 

 before spreading, and sprinkle with sugar as before. The poison 

 becomes incorporated with the butter, and is eaten without suspi- 

 cion by the cunning rodents. Sometimes, however, the sly rat will 

 eat the bread and avoid the poisoned butter, and it is better to melt 

 the butter, stir in an equal quantity of arsenic, and pour the mix- 

 ture on both sides of the bread, so that it will soak in. The bread 

 may be then cut in pieces about an inch square and each piece well 

 sprinkled with powdered sugar. One piece should be fatal to any 

 rat that will eat it." 



