LE'lTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Biological Survey, 

 Washington, D. C, May 15, 1901. 

 Sir : I have the honor to transmit herewith for publication Farmers' Bulletin 

 No. 297. containiui? concise directions for the destruction of rats, prepared by 

 David E. Lantz, an assistant in this Bureau. The damage done by these rodents, 

 both in cities and in the country, Is enormous, and the calls for practical methods 

 of destroying them are correspondingly numerous and urgent. It is believed 

 that by following the directions here given the numbers of this pest can be 

 greatly reduced and the losses from them proportionally diminished. 

 Respectfully, 



C. Hart Merriam, 

 Chief, Bioloffical Purvey. 



Hon. James Wilson, 



Secretary of Agriciiltiire. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction .'> 



Methods of destroying rats 4 



Poisoning 4 



Trapping 5 



Use of ferrets and dogs (I 



Fumigation 7 



Rat-proof construction 7 



Natural enemies of rats S 



Conclusions 8 



ILLUSTRATION. 



Fig. 1. — Method of baiting guillotine trap 

 297 



(2) 



Page. 

 G 



