t 
NOVEL  METHOD  OF  CATCHING  MICE.  5 
and  cost  of  tincture  thus  prepared.  Still  I  find  a  modification 
of  Mr.  Ebert's  process,  when  operating  on  larger  quantities, 
advantageous,  viz  :  1st.  That  of  using  less  water  for  the  ex  - 
hausting of  the  opium.  2d.  Less  quantity  of  benzine  to  de- 
odorize the  watery  solution.  3d.  Heat  not  being  necessary  ex- 
cepting sufficient  to  drive  off  the  benzine.  It  is  as  follows  :  Take 
of  opium,  dried,  in  moderately  fine  powder,  by  10  troy  ounces  ; 
benzine,  pure,  3  pints ;  alcohol  2  pints ;  water  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Macerate  the  opium  with  2  pints  of  Avater  for  24  hours,  and  ex- 
press ;  then  repeat  the  operation  twice  with  the  same  quantity 
of  water,  mix  the  expressed  liquids  in  a  bottle,  and  add  the 
benzine,  shaking  it  repeatedly  after  separation  of  the  liquids ; 
decant  the  benzine,  and  evaporate  by  a  gentle  heat  until  all 
traces  of  benzine  have  disappeared;  filter  through  paper,  adding 
sufficient  water  to  make  the  filtered  liquid  measure  six  pints; 
lastly,  add  the  alcohol  and  mix  them  together. 
Chicago,  Dec,  1868. 
A  NOVEL  METHOD  OF  CATCHING  MICE. 
Having  on  several  occasions  noticed  mice  in  our  seed  barrels, 
I  bethought  me  of  some  method  of  how  I  might  trap  the  little 
intruders  ;  they  having  gained  entrance  by  eating  through  the 
chime.  To  kill  them  with  a  stick  was  impracticable,  as  the  little 
fellows  would  invariably  escape  as  soon  as  the  lid  was  raised  to  any 
height.  I  then  thought  of  saturating  a  piece  of  cotton  with 
chloroform  and  throwing  it  in  and  then  closing  the  lid.  On 
raising  it  again  in  a  few  minutes,  I  would  find  that  life  had 
almost  or  quite  departed.  Having  on  one  occasion  left  the  piece 
of  cotton  in  the  barrel,  on  again  returning,  found  three  little 
mice  with  their  heads  in  close  contact  with  it,  and  dead.  In  the 
evening  I  saturated  another  piece  and  placed  it  in  the  barrel, 
and  on  opening  it  the  next  morning  to  my  surprise  I  found  nina 
dead  mice. 
Each  coming  from  his  father's  hall 
To  feast  at  night,  securer  more 
Than  in  the  light  of  day. 
Leavenworth,  Kansas,  Oct.  8th,  1868.  J.  H. 
