296 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 



a proportional quantity of water. In prepar- 

 ing the bait it is necessary that all the oatmeal 

 should be moistened with the sirup. Wheat 

 and corn are excellent alternative baits, but 

 must be soaked in the sirup over night. 



To use this poison in places occupied by 

 poultry a good plan is to provide two boxes, 

 one considerably larger than the other and each 

 having two or more holes in the side, large 

 enough to admit rats. The poisoned bait 

 should be placed on the bottom and near the 

 middle of the smaller box and the larger box 

 inverted over it. Then fowls cannot get at it 

 if they try. It must be remembered that old 

 rats become very wise and wary, and much 

 caution has to be used if you are to succeed. 



Poisoning field-mice. The most effective 

 poison for the short-tailed field-mice is strych- 

 nine. In the outbreak of these pests in Ne- 

 vada, the best baits proved to be alfalfa and 

 crushed wheat. An ounce of strychnia sulphate 

 dissolved in 5 or 6 gallons of water will effectu- 

 ally prepare 30 pounds of chopped dry alfalfa 

 hay ; or, with iy 2 gallons of water, will prepare 

 45 pounds of green alfalfa cut into short 



