80 FERRET FACTS AND FANCIES. 



be replaced by others made of cement. Areas or walks 

 made of brick are often undermined by rats, and may become 

 as objectionable as those of wood. Wooden floors of porches 

 should always be well above the ground. 



Farm Buildings. — Granaries, corncribs, and poultry 

 houses may ibe made rat-proof by a liberal use of concrete 

 in the foundations and floors; or the floors may be of wood 

 resting upon concrete. Objection has been urged against 

 concrete floors for horses, cattle, and poultry, because the 

 material is too good a conductor of heat, and the health of 

 the animal suffers from contact with these floors. In poultry 

 houses, dry soil or sand may be used as a covering for the 

 cement floor; and in stables, a wooden floor resting on the 

 concrete is just as satisfactory as far as the exclusion of rats 

 is concerned. 



The common practice of setting corncribs on posts with 

 inverted pans at the top often fails to exclude rats, because 

 the posts are not high enough to place the lower cracks of 

 the structure beyond reach of the animals. The posts should 

 project at least 3 feet above the surface of the ground, for 

 rats are excellent jumpers. But a crib (built in this manner, 

 though cheap, is unsightly. 



For a rat-proof crib, a well drained site should be chosen. 

 The outer walls, laid in cement, should be sunk about 20 

 inches into the ground. The space within the walls should 

 be thoroughly grouted with cement and broken stone and 

 finished with rich concrete for a floor,' Upon this the struc- 

 ture may be built. Even the walls of the crib may be con- 

 crete. Corn will not mold in contact with them, provided 

 there is good ventilation and the roof is water-tight. 



However, there are cheaper ways of excluding rats from 

 either new or old corncribs. Rats, mice and sparrows may be 

 effectually kept out by the use of either an inner or an outer 

 covering of galvanized wire netting of half-inch mesh and 



