178 Agricultural Congress at Vienna, [june, 



(bacilli) which, when introduced into the body of a rat, set up a 

 disease allied to the most virulent form of typhus fever. Dry 

 bread, cut into small cubes, is soaked with the virus, and these 

 cubes being laid down in suitable places are readily eaten by 

 the rats, usually with fatal results. No domestic animals are at 

 all affected by the preparation. 



In order to test the value of the method the Agricultural 

 Chamber of the Province of Saxony obtained a supply of one 

 of the preparations and distributed it amongst seven selected 

 farms. The results* show that at six of the farms the rats were 

 practically exterminated. At the seventh the virus appears to 

 have had little effect, a result that has also been noticed else- 

 where, and which is supposed to be due to the fact that a natural 

 attack of the same or a nearly-related disease had rendered the 

 SI rviving rats practically immune to infection. 



Information of a similar character has reached the Board 

 with regard to the use of rat virus in England, and they would 

 therefore direct the attention of agriculturists to this means of 

 getting rid of a troublesome pest. While there seems to be 

 little doubt that in the majority of cases a single farm may be 

 temporarily cleared of rats by this means, it is evident that but 

 a short time may elapse before such a farm is again invaded by 

 animals that move on to it from infested places in the neigh- 

 bourhood. It would therefore appear to be highly desirable 

 that agricultural clubs should take the matter up and act on a 

 large scale, or the farmers in a parish or county might enter into 

 a temporary association for the purpose of using the virus on 

 every farm on a definite date. Operations on a large scale 

 would mean considerable attention as to organization, but the 

 probable result would appear to warrant the necessary steps 

 being taken. 



The Eighth International Agricultural Congress is to be held 



at Vienna from the 2 ist to the 25th May, 1907. Persons desirous 



of attending the Congress should inform 



Agrricultural the Executive Committee, through the 



Congress Secretary, Prof. Josef Hausler, Schaufler- 

 a,L viennR. ^ -c • 



gasse 6, Vienna, not later than 31st March, 



1907. The subscription is 20 kronen (i6s. 8d.). Agricultural- 



* Mitt. d. DtuL La-d. Geu'lschaft, May 5th, 1906. 



