The Pests of Garden Plants 



think it imprudent to fill up their holes or stop their runs ; let them 

 have their way. If you stop them, they will make new thoroughfares, 

 to the further injury of the foundation ; and, besides, when you are 

 acquainted with their runs, you know where to put traps and poison 

 for the vermin. As to the best poison, there is nothing so effectual 

 as arsenic ; but it should be employed with great care, and before it 

 is brought on the premises the question of safe storage must be con- 

 sidered. A fat bloater split down and well rubbed with common white 

 arsenic will kill a score of Rats, provided only that they will eat it. 

 Cut it into four parts, and place these in or near their runs, and 

 cover with tiles or boards to prevent dogs and cats obtaining them. 

 If this fails, try bread and butter dressed with oil of rhodium and 

 phosphorus. The oil of rhodium seems to possess an irresistible 

 attraction for thes.e vermin. When dry food is preferred, there is 

 nothing so good as oatmeal ; and it is a golden rule to feed the Rats 

 for a few days with pure oatmeal, and then to mix about a fourth 

 part of arsenic with it. A correspondent of Chambers^ Journal 

 {Part 235, page 473) disposed of a colony of Rats by catching two 

 in a wire trap and well smearing them with tar. They were then 

 restored to their runs. Every Rat migrated to other quarters, and 

 not one of them returned. A good fox-terrier will keep a large 

 garden free from Rats and Mice. 



