Popular Science Monthly 



611 



Catching Rats Wholesale 



WHERE there are many rats, a trap 

 which will catch a large number, 

 without being reset, is a great advantage. 

 An excellent device may be made from 

 a large bucket, half-filled with water. 



Many original rat-traps have been devised 



by the soldiers in the trenches, where the 



vermin flock in droves. Here are two of 



the traps, now in use 



Place a board against the edge of the 

 bucket for the rats to ascend. Provide 

 a metal piece, which can be pivoted at 

 the upper end of the board and bent into 

 the shape shown in the diagram. The 

 pivoting may be easily effected by sim- 

 ply stretching a wire over the flap and 

 fastening it to screw-eyes in the end of 

 the inclined board. Place lard or bacon 

 at the overhanging end of the metal piece 

 for bait. The rats ascend the inclined 

 board; when the bait is reached, their 

 weight overbalances the upper flap, and 

 they plunge into the water, the flap re- 

 suming its original position. 



Another good metliod requires a bar- 

 rel of water. Attach a small board to 

 the end of a stick and place this in the 

 barrel vertically, so that the board forms 

 a small platform, which should be sub- 

 merged slightly in the water. Cover the 

 top of the barrel with parchment or 

 even strong paper or cardboard. Make 

 a U-shaped cut in this covering to form 

 a tongue for holding the bait. A rat 

 approaching the bait is precipitated into 

 the water. He soon reaches the plat- 

 form and cries out in distress ; other rats 

 come and they also fall into the water. 

 A fight for the board ensues and the wouki 

 be rescuers are skiughtercd together with 

 the original victim. — F. P. Manx. 



A News Stand and Blueprint 

 Washer Combined 



A COLLAPSIBLE news stand 

 which can be turned to the desir- 

 able, if not closely related use of blue- 

 print washer can be made effectively 

 from ordinary \" lumber and i" pip- 

 ing. The piping adds much to the 

 rigidity of the news stand and offers the 

 opportunity for the extra use of blue- 

 print washer with the simple assistance 

 of a garden hose. The magazine rack 

 makes an excellent drying place for the 

 blueprints. 



As constructed, the stand will fold 

 close to the wall and can be hooked or 

 locked in position. The main support 

 of the stand is made of i" piping, 

 fastened to wall and sidewalk. The 

 shelf turns on the elbow fitting which 

 is also the outlet for the blueprint wash- 

 ing system. The front legs are hinged 

 and shut back on the shelf when it is 

 closed. The rack is set out from the 

 wall by a bracket built so that when the 

 shelf is closed up against the wall, the 

 guards push the back of the rack pin- 

 ions up and drop the rack down inside 

 the shelf. This closes the entire appara- 

 tus inside the shelf with the exception 

 of the front legs, which can be locked 

 down. 



The magazine rack can be turned into a 

 blueprint washer. An inventive boy de- 

 signed and built this 



