THE PEST OF RATS 15 
of feedstuffs, malt and the like; while no pest 
of the sugar-cane is much more to be feared. 
The damage done by rats to fruits and vege- 
tables while stored in cellars and pits is well 
known. They attack ripe tomatoes, melons, 
cantaloupes, squashes, pumpkins, sweet corn, 
and many other vegetables in the field, and the 
depredations are often attributed to rabbits. 
Rats are fond of nearly all small fruits, even 
climbing grape-vines, blackberry-canes, and 
currant-bushes to obtain the ripe fruit; and 
often feed upon ripe apples, pears, cherries, 
and so forth. 
Rats are recognized pests of the greenhouse 
and the plant-propagating pit, where they at- 
tack seeds, bulbs, leaves, stems and flowers. 
Of flowering bulbs the tulip suffers most and 
hyacinths also are eaten, while narcissus bulbs 
are apparently immune to attack. Carnations 
seem especially liable to destruction. 
Destructiveness to poultry and game. Very 
serious is the loss due to rats entering badly 
constructed hen and pigeon houses,—probably 
greater, in Mr. Lantz’s opinion, than that in- 
