HOW TO DESTROY EATS. 



7 



throiigh negligence, such buildings often become infested with the 

 pests. Sometimes drain pipes are left uncovered for hours at a time. 

 Often outer doors, especially those opening on alleys, are left ajar. 

 A common mistake is failure to screen basement windows which must 

 be opened for ventilation. However the intruders are admitted, when 

 once inside they intrench themselves behind furniture or stores, and 

 are difficult to dislodge. The addition of inner doors to vestibules is 

 an important precaution against rats. The lower part of outer doors 

 to public buildings, especially markets, should be reenforced with 

 light metal plates to prevent the animals from gnawing through. 



Dwellings. — In constructing chvelling houses the additional cost of 

 making the foundations rat-proof is slight as compared with the 

 advantages. The cellar walls should have concrete footings, and the 

 walls themselves should be laid in cement mortar. The cellar floor 

 should be of medium rather than lean concrete, and all water and 

 drain pipes should be surrounded with concrete. Even old cellars 

 may be made rat-proof at comparatively small expense. Kat holes 

 may be permanently closed with a mixture of cement, sand, and 

 broken glass, or sharjD bits of crockery or stone. 



On a foundation like the one described above, the walls of a wooden 

 dwelling also may be made rat-proof. The space between the sheath- 

 ing and lath, to the height of about a foot, should be filled with con- 

 crete. Rats can not then gain access to the walls, and can enter the 

 dwelling only through doors or windows. Screening all basement 

 and cellar windows with Avire netting is a most necessary precaution. 



Old buildings in cities. — Aside from old dwellings, the chief refuges 

 for rats in cities are sewers, wharves, stables, and outbuildings. 

 Modern sewers are used by the a.- ^lals merely as highways and not 

 as abodes, but old-fashioned brick servers often afford nesting 

 crannies. 



A¥harves, stables, and outbuildings in cities should be so built as 

 to exclude rats. Cement is the chief means to this end. Old tumble- 

 down buildings and Avharves should not be tolerated in any city. 



In both city and countr}^, wooden floors of sidewalks, areas, and 

 porches are commonly laid upon timbers resting on the ground. 

 Under such floors rats have a safe retreat from nearly all enemies. 

 The conditions can be remedied in tovvns by municipal action, re- 

 quiring that such floors should be replaced by others made of cement. 

 Areas or walks made of brick are often undermined by rats, and 

 may become as objectionable as those of wood. Wooden floors of 

 porches should always be well above the ground. 



Farm buildings. — Granaries, corncribs, and poultry houses may be 

 made rat-proof by a liberal use of concrete in the foundations and 

 floors; or the floors may be of wood resting upon concrete. Objection 



369 



