HOW TO EXTIRPATE VERMIN. 
203 
extent of the heavy losses you sustain by vermin, I must 
tell you what becomes comparatively easy and amusing. 
If the farmers of England would form themselves into 
neighbourly bodies, for the purpose of carrying out the war 
of extermination, three months would scarcely pass over, 
before rats, ay and mice too, would become nearly as scarce 
as kingfishers. This ought to be done, because the rat is 
the common enemy of all ; and though he may be destroy- 
ing your neighbour's property this week, perhaps next week 
may not pass over before he is destroying yours ; and it 
matters little whether you kill him on your own or your 
neighbour's grounds ; you both become free of him. 
If this plan were strictly followed out in every district in 
England, then there would be scarcely a rat left to travel 
from farm to farm, parish to parish, or from county to county. 
But whether farmers in general combine together or not, it 
will not prevent each farmer looking after his own indivi- 
dual interest, and acting for himself 
Now suppose you have succeeded in building a rick on 
staddles, and cleared away everything both from under- 
neath and round about which could in any way form a 
ladder for the vermin. But farmers should continually be on 
their guard, because there is no knowing what ill-natured 
people will do, particularly disappointed rat-catchers, who 
are often at their tricks. Should you at any time find 
anything, remove it directly ; and though they may have 
put some rats into the rick, never mind, your removing the 
ladder will directly get rid of them. But before proceeding 
to the barn or granary, I will tell you of two newly- invented 
traps, which, in my humble opinion, will lead to the capture 
of more rats than all the other inventions put together, and 
these are Uncle James's infallible rat-traps. These traps, if 
properly applied, are warranted to render every rat in the 
premises a living prisoner in forty-eight hours, but mostly 
the first night, if the directions be faithfully carried out. 
They entirely supersede every other invention, as also all 
kinds of poisons, and thereby do away with the possibility 
of accidents arising out of the use of such deadly drugs, 
particularly in dwelling-houses. They need no baiting 
whatever, and a child may set them with perfect safety ! 
but when once set, they never after require touching, unless 
