212 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



with water. All traps set under water for rats should be 

 sprung and reset about twice a week and always set lightly. 

 These precautions neglected, a small rat might not be heavy 

 enough to spring the trap. The trap shown near the bottom 

 of the pail (Plate VI., Fig. 1) is commonly sold as a rat trap. It 

 is a very handy trap for this purpose but has two bad faults, — 

 the pan is too large and the spring under the pan throws it up 

 when the trap springs. If the rat happens to put foot or nose 

 down on the edge of the pan it comes so little within the 

 sweep of the jaws that it may be thrown out by the upward 

 lift of the spring under the pan, or pulled 

 out by the rat as the trap closes. In that 

 case the cautious rat may not come again. 

 The No. 1 "Newhouse" trap, having a small 

 pan and a side spring, is best. The above 

 plan cannot be used out of doors where the 

 trap can be seen and where domesticated 

 ^, , animals or birds can get at it, "but rats may 



Newnouse trap. "^ '^ 



be trapped out doors in summer or at any 

 time when water will not freeze, without danger of catching 

 dogs, cats or poultry, if the trap is set in a covered trough, 



A watertight trough or open box must be made of boards or 

 cement. It may be 12 inches long, 4^ inches wide and 3 inches 

 deep, inside measurement, or larger if the trap to be set in it 

 requires it. In the upper part of each end an opening for the 

 entrance of the rat is made in the center, 2^ inches wide and 

 1^ inches deep. (See cut.) This allows 

 the rat to come in only where the 

 pan of the trap is ready to receive 

 him. The trough must be set level 

 into the earth up to the bottom of the 

 opening, and filled with all the dis- Trough for steei traps. 



colored water it will hold. The water is discolored so that the 

 rats cannot readily see the trap. The trap should be set in the 

 trough under water, and next to one of the entrances, and if 

 the trough is long enough two traps may be set, one at each 

 end. The trough may then be covered with a board or box 

 projecting well out over the entrance holes, or two small drain 



