THE RAT PROBLEM. 
Ricks surrounded by 5 ft. 6 in. high galvanized-iron sheetings dug 
2 ft. 6 in. into the ground are effectually protected. Another method 
is to build them on stone piers surrounded by a wide inverted pan 
or saucer-shaped rim of tin sheeting; the piers should be 3 feet to 3 ft. 
6 in. high, with the protecting rim near the top. Other buildings are 
difficult to repair, but, where possible, iron sheeting, brickwork, and 
cement should be used. In some cases it would be impossible, short of 
re-building, to render premises rat-proof. In piggeries and poultry 
runs the animals should be fed, where possible, in .the presence of 
attendants, care being taken to remove all foodstutfs not required. 
Refuse must not remain unprotected within the yards of private 
dwellings. All vegetable matter, bones, or other such unusable waste food- 
stuffs, should be burned, and ashes kept within properly covered recep- 
tacles. ; 
No waste foodstuffs of any kind should be thrown indiscriminately 
into the back streets for the purpose of feeding stray dogs. Similar 
precautions pafticularly apply to those in charge of cafés, restaurants, 
hotels, and shops of various kinds. It matters not whether it be within a 
theatre, picture hall, railway carriage, railway station, office, work- 
room, tea room, warehouse, workshop, factory, or any other place where 
small or large numbers of people have their meals. It should be considered 
as a public offence either to throw pieces -of biscuit, bread, fat, or 
other waste food on to the ground, or leave such articles lying about. 
Any such waste material as cannot possibly be utilized should be care- 
fully disposed of by burning. Within slaughter-houses and other places, 
garbage and refuse should be kept until removal for destruction within 
properly constructed galvanized-iron receptacles. Everything possible 
should be done to remove rubbish heaps. Within stores of every 
description the contents should be moved as frequently as possible, and 
within large warehouses packages should be so arranged as to reduce the 
privacy of the rodents to a minimum. Burrows from which rats have 
been driven, or which lead to others, may sometimes be successfully 
intercepted by being filled with a mixture of cement, sand, and broken 
glass or crockery. : 
It is highly essential to have defective drains attended to, and wher- 
ever possible old or disused drains should be removed. As vessels arriving 
at the various ports are almost certain carriers of rats, they should be 
dealt with as soon as possible on arrival. Another matter requiring 
careful attention is the protection of natural enemies of rats and mice. 
These include owls, hawks, buzzards, ravens, stoats, and weasels. 
Remeprat Mxrasvures. 
Before referring to the various measures to be recommended for 
immediate application, it will, perhaps, not be out of place to briefly 
deseribe a method which has for its object extermination by directly 
opposing the ordinary laws of nature. It is known as the “ Rodier ” 
method. 
Bearing in mind the number of young in each litter, and the number 
of litters produced within a year, it is believed that were a scheme 
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