Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume], September 26, 1907, Image 6

About Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916

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GROW FEEDFOR CATTLE
li'"a
Expensive to Buy Food When
OfliPTB Can Be Raised on the
Tfaxm.
77. 3». Gilbert, Agricultural Sta
tion, Canada.)
HEAP purchased food Is highly
advantageous to those stock
feeders, who either possess no
land or whose occupation of land Is
very limited, but even at its cheapest
It is an expensive business.
A mm who produces millc or pork,
may be able to keep a larger number
by the aid of purchased food, than
would be possible under any other
conditions indeed, lie may be enabled
to keep stock of this class, and the
Bame remark applies to horses, •with
out ocupylng any land whatever but
the farmer is in a different position.
By purchasing food to feed his
stock, ho 13 able to liberate a certain
amount of the produce he grows for
Bale. Tho question arises, however,
whether it is not now economical to
lotisumo what ho grows, and to buy
ess, or indeed, to buy none at all.
In very many cases this is quite pos
lible, find considerable advantage
svould result from the practice.
But the question is, what should be
grown for stock, when tho practice of
purchasing food is not carried out?
Tho leading food constituents of farm
crops, are the albumenoids, formerly
called the flesh powers, but which
have the most important influence in
providing the red portion or muscle of
meat and milk the carbo-hydrates,
chiefly composed of starch, sugar and
cellulose, tho material of which the
wails of tho cells of plants are formed
and fat and oil.
Now it happens that on a farm, the
one constituent' the farmer grows In
greatest quantity Is the carbo-hydrates,
which is abundant in all plants and in
purchasing food, it is the constituent
which he, therefore, requires least. As
a matter of fact, the chief object In
buying foods is to obtain the albumen
old matter, and the oil the latter be
ing chiefly essential In the case of fat
tening beasts.
The chief function of starch, sugar
nml oil, is the provision of heat, which
must be acquanited at a given point. If
an animal is to remain in health.
What the farmer requires then. In
greater abundance on the farm, Is the
albumortoid portion of food.
This is present in starch and roots,
as well as in second-class hay, in com
paratively small quantities, but It Is
present in all the leguminous plants.
lo-ors, alfalfa, vetches, peas and
'"rr-is.
in abundance, hence any ln-
•'•"se in these crops. Is an Immense
•V"'n. and by their aid, there Is no
a -.or) why, upon a large number of
the food account should not be
v.-' out.
"t Is most Important in the first
'-^e. to improve the feeding value of
•v- rrrass
land the albumenoids in the
Tivsses proper, are small in compari
son. with the proportion present in the
lovers. If, therefore, the clover por
!io:i of the herbage of a pasture can
bo increased, the feeding value of the
whole, will be increased and it may be,
wets bulk as well. Many growers are
accustomed to manuro grass land
literally with a nitrogenous manure.
This Increases the grasses, but at the
fxpense of the clovers.
If, however, mineral manures are
employed instead, the clovers will be
Increased and If the land Is grazed, the
Increased richness of the manure in
nitrogen, which is more abundant in
ihe clover plant, will influence the
gra sses.
It is Important that grass lann
should receive tho greatest attention
as its influence on the stock is, per
haps, greater than the other, both
through the medium of the grass In
summer and hay in winter. A great
help, however, may be given to the
stock, as well as to the economy of
the farm by the production of a few
ucres o" the best of all forage crops
production.
Alfalfa which Is grown for less than
it ought to be, and why, It Is difficult
to understand. It may be somewhat
tender but when established, will af
ford three or four cuttings In the year
for several years, producing probably
two and a half times as much feeding
material, and that of very superior
quality, to either pasture or meadow
grass. The soil must be dry, at the
same time the plant should be grown
in a sheltered position, preferably on
alluvial soil loam containing lime.
The alfalfa plant has a double ad
vantage. for It Is the most abundant
of crops In a season of drought, the
roots extending to such a depth in the
soil, that it finds moisture, and affords
magnificent cuts when everything else
is dried up. Where It forms part of a
pasture it grows so rapidly that it is
ready for a .second cut before the re
maining herbage seems to have started
growth. A farmer cannot be advised
than to try this crop it surely has been
proved by now, and if he determines
upon trying it, the land should be
plowed before heavy frost, that It may
be thoroughly pulverized.
Vetches as food for stock, cannot be
overestimated. The one difficult thing
r.l-out the vetches is. that it is prac
ilrally a single cut plant. If a crop is
''in early and before it ceases growing
will come a second time, with a
tsirail growth, but this Is not really
worth consideration. A succession of
vetches may be grown, so that they
may be at tho disposal of the grower
to f*.ll_
Argentina, which Is becoming a for
midable rival to the United States ln
wheat and cattle, has an area of
1.135,000 square miles. This is equal
to that part of our country east of the
Mississippi, with the Dakotas, Minne
sota and Iowa thrown ln. There are
125,004 miles of ggod railways ln Ar
mtntlna.
wrr-
-,7?t
?¥*&*&•*.
OCR SIX-FOOTED FOBS.
There are some species of bugs for
which poisonous dopes have little at
traction, and these must be met In
another way. Such Is the blister
beot!c or striped potato bug which Is
proof against ParlB green.
If onlya few have gained entrance
they may often be whipped away. A
surer way and one more neighborly,
(for when repulsed In one field they
will surely approach another), Is to
brush them Into a kerosene bath. This
Is not so fatiguing a process as it
seems in a moderate sized patch. They
have the habit of dropping to the
ground when disturbed, hence the
secret of success is in proceeding
quietly.
Have ready a pall half full of water,
with enough kerosene to form a coat
ing on Its surface. With a stick, tap
the bugs into a shallow pan slipped
under the Infested branches, quickly
A second or third picking may bo
necessary, especially in
The plan of putting Paris green on
even the outer leaves of cabbage will
never meet the approval of many
growers. especially when the risk thus
Involved is unnecessary. There are
several harmless applications which
serve as well and are Inexpensive.
Spraying with soap suds or salt
and water is usually quite effective.
Wood ashes, or even flour applied
when the dew Is on prevents further
ravages. One of the best preventa-
NEWS
e.
Cross Section
the worms confine their work mainly
the loose outside leaves, where they
do comparatively little harm and can
be more easily routed.
The cocoons will be found In late
summer and autumn suspended on
the side: of unpainted buildings or
board fences and can be destroyed.
White clover Is a fine lawn plant, 5,a®
but many find that It dies out after a
few years. White clover, as all the
clovers, Is a biennial, completely dy-
Ing after the second year. If the lawn
is kept closely clipped, white clover
TO GROW
dry season.
But this method puts a speedy end to
those captured, and by careful move
nt ents one may get at least a large
portion.
Section of a Cellar Bed for Mushrooms Covered With Board's and Mat
ting and Ban!:»ii up with Earth.
The stflped cucumber beetle, which
Is equally partial to melons, may be
captured in the same way. Only this
must be done very early In the morn
ing or late at night, as the beetle takes
•wing at the slightest movement as soon
as the sun is up.
Watch for It on the under side of
the leaves when settled for the night
it is loth to move. There are two
broods during the season, and while
the midsummer one is much less
harmful, the plants being better able
to withstand its attacks, yet every
beetle destroyed now will lessen .the
hosts next year.
Easy to Slake Good props and Fair
Profits By Careful Attention
to Detail.
(By Prof. a. B. Stone, .Massachusetts
Experiment Station.)
M'
transfer them to the pall of water, partitioning off a portion of the cellar
from which they cannot emerge
kerosene proving fatal.
USHROOM growing has not yet
become as Important an Indus
try In the western states as In
the eastern and northeastern states.
However, this line of work Is growing
rapidly and we think the following by
Prof. G. E. Stone, of Massachusetts
Experiment Station, may be of value
to beginners:
It is desirable to havo a tolerably
dry foundation for a mushroom bed.
The conditions of a cellar can be made
suitable for mushroom growing, espe
cially for amateurs who wish to go
into the business on a small scale. By
the|and closing the windows, more con
stant and uniform conditions can be
obtained. Space under greenhouse
benches can be made especially suited
to mushroom culture, and many grow
ers take advantage of this space for
their propagation.
The most suitable soil conditions tor
IP
amtT*
After it has been well worked over
and composted various times and the
heat Is not likely to rise above 130 de
grees Fahrenheit, It should be thor
oughly Incorporated with one-fourth
to one-fifth decomposed loam or sod.
It can remain in this condition until
ready for use.
The beds are usually made up ten to
fourteen Inches deep, and in these are
placed the soil and manure for grow
ing them. The bottom of the bed
should be supplied with six inches of
fresh manure, well tamped down. It
should be covered with the prepared
manure and loam mentioned above,
Mushroom House.
tlves is to keep the plants growing adding about two inches at a time, and
vigorously. compacting the same.
After a solid head Is well started) ,t
much
showg a tendency' to heat too
,ncorporate
a mtle
.••. f8?se» t»
-rj
mushroom culture, consist In supply
ing beds with plenty of good horse
manure, mixed with loam or decom
posed sod, mixing about one-fourth or
one-fifth loam or decomposed sod with
manure.
Either fresh or partially rotted
manure-can be used, and this .should
repeatedly be well worked over, com
posted and watered frequently, taking
care that it does not burn.
ANDVIEWSOF
,oam
ln
the prepared loam and manure 'can be
put on each day until the required
depth is obtained. Straw or some
mulching material is then put over the
top of the bed until ready to spawn.
seed should be sown each fall or 'n*° pieces and planting the pieces in
spring to Insure a permanent stand.
Now Is the time of the year when
cultivation counts the most. Cultlvato
After the temperature of the beds
reacled
Fahrenheit,
moved
8°me
up
about 90 to 95 degrees
the straw should be re-
and the bed spawned, although
growers prefer a temperature of
about
80 degrees Fahrenheit. This is
accomPllshed
rows In the
by breaking the brickt
bed-
The same result may be secured by The rows should be about one foot
mowing ln the fall, allowing the apart, and the pieces of spawn Inserted
plants to blossom and seed. every six or eight Inches and covered
superficially with the soil,
1
with tho view of keeping down weeds pact the surface of the bed all over,
and pulverizing the soil. There Is a After this is accomplished the beu can
large amount of plant food In the again be covered with straw, and ln
average soil, and this may be made the course of eight or nine days the
available for orop growth by breaking: straw is removed not exceeding 80 de
to pieces the clods and allowing a'greet Fahrenheit after covering, ac in
large surfaoe for root aotlon. that case one la Ukaly to lose the crop.
When spawning is completed, com-
COPYRIGHTED 1907, BY ASSOCIATED FARM PRESS.
SOME GOOD HARDY BULBS.
In planting a perennial flower gar
den one must spare a corner, or strip
of ground for the hardy bulbs which
come up fropi year to year with very
littlo care, excepting the general care
which flower lovers all give to their
gardens, such as keeping the weeds
down, fertilizing the ground in the
fall, and loosening the earth In the
spring time.
Scilla Slberlca Is very satisfactory, It
being one of the first bright blue flow
ers to greet us, for it comes in crocus
time. Then there Is the Scllla Cam
paunlata, or Spanish Blue Bell. These
bulbs grown in masses with snow
drops, grape and feathered hyacinths
are charming In effect.
My crocuses are planted in the lawn
and are done blooming before the
mowing machine is run over that part
of the grass.
I find the Roman hyacinth will in
crease from year to year if left in the
ground.
While Roman hyacinths are cata
logued as "not hardy," I have them
here in my garden In Southern Con
necticut, and their sweet, graceful
blossoms greet one In May time If I
give them a very light covering of
rough manure late In the fall.
In my hardy bulb border I have
some old-fashioned double white tu
lips, and these with a few of the Cot
tage Garden tulips of brilliant color
ings make a gay showing all through
May.
They may be left In the ground from
year to year and need no winter pro
tection. They are planted in the earth
about five, inches.
If my border and my purse were
larger I would plant all the "lilies of
the field," as well as those of the gar
den. But those of specie', notice where
space and purse are limited are the
pure white Madonna lily, which blos
soms in May or June, the Canada lily,
which is found In our fields and Is
bright crimson in color with dark
spots, and blossoms In June and July
the Coral lily which comes to us in
May Longiflorum Multlflorum, an
other pure white beauty.
Then we have the Speciosum, white
with a green band running through the
center blood red, and white, the two
latter heavily spotted with darker
crimson.
The Golden Banded Japanese lily is
one of the handsomest and comes just
when we need It most, in late summer
time.—Julie Adams Powell.
AX OPTIMIST'S VIEW.
By Helen Whitney Clark.
You nevah heahs me whine en groan
No mattah whut goes wrong
I puts mah shouldah to de wheel,
En whistles right along.
De Hahdest row o' stumps I find
Hit nevah phazes me—
'Case I nevah troubles trouble
Twell trouble troubles me!
I goes to wuck at sun-up,
En wurks dee livelong day
Ain't no use a-grumbling,
'Case de wuck has come to stayl
Dai's harvestin', en hayln'.
En I 'specs dey'll alius be
But I nevah troubles trouble
Twell trouble troubles me!
Some folks is alius squealin',
Lak a bunch o' beachy hogs
En tellin' how our kentry
Is goin' to de dogs.
But I reckons hit'll way right on.
End last as long as we
So I nevah troubles trouble
Twell trouble troubles me!
,t
Qne or two laycrs tWQ inches deep Qf
HINTS OX HOME LIFE.
Politeness that is bred in the bone
and Is In constant use creates in the
character a resemblance to a flower
whose beauty and perfume pervades
the atmosphere in which it develops,
and is a constant help and benefit to
others.
I suppose there is no greater good
in this world than love, kindness and
the consideration of others in the
home.
The most beautiful thing in the
world is a wholesome, sweet-tempered
girl whose cardinal points are cleanli
ness, neatness, and politeness—whose
natural lovablenes-- is so irresistable
that people swarm around her like
bees around a honeysuckle. She is a
tonic to the ill and unfortunate. She
is the emodiment of health and joy
and her friends are legion.
This girl is the one who loves and
helps her mother—who sings at her
work—who caresses and cheers her
father, looking after his comfort—who
works instinctively and quietly without
ostentation.
She thinks her people are the tlnest
people in the world and they adore her
as she deserves.
FARMERS
BREEDING JOR DAIRY
Unreasonable Prejudice Among Many
Farmers Against Inbreeding—No
Harm If Done Right.
HIS phase of breeding Is not gen
erally understood among dairy
men and there seems to be a
remarkable perjudlce against It.
Provided the animals are sound and
healthy, vigorous In action, and free
from all hereditary diseases, no matter
how closely related, or In what way no
ill affects In the offspring, need be
feared by the Interbreeding.
This practice has been too long and
too persistently tried by the best
breeders of the world to need further
argument and the best cattle in Eng
land and America are the result of this
practice.
The best bunch of dalrv heifers
that the writer ever saw were the Re
sult of mating a pure-bred Holstein
bull with some of his own daughters
that were from choice grade cows.
However, if the dairyman can not
overcome this prejudice of inbreeding
to maintain and Improve the good
qualities in his herd and must change
his bull for a fresh cross, let him select
one of the same breed and one bred
along similar lines* that the discarded
one was, so that he will possess the
same inherent and fixed qualities as
the discarded one.
9y doing this he will be more cer
tain to perpetuate and Intensify in his
herd, the good qualities that came
from the first sire, and his blood lines
will become more prepotent than they
Regina, a magnificent full-blood Jer
sey, bred and raised in Texas. South
ern farmers are rapidly Improving
heir dairy herds through the introduc
tion of cows of this kind.
would if he selected a bull of different
breeding.
Like will produce like, only when
those qualities have been bred In, and
intensified for a number of generations
and it is only after these qualities have
become fixed that you can obtain satis
factory results of procreation, even
though your stock originated from
grades.
The ordinary dairyman should con
fine himself to breeding in fancy
strains or along family lines unless he
is convinced that such a strain or fam
ily is better adapted to his dairy econ
omy than high grades. It was the aim
of the original breeders to Improve the
animals so that they would yield a
larger legitimate profit when put to
the test in the dairy and not to estab
lish points pleasing to the eye or to
create lines of beauty.
It ought to be within the reach of
all dairymen to grow and breed choice
grades that for all practical purposes
would be good as the pure-bred animal
from which the cross originated,
whether Jersey, Guernsey, Ayreshire
or Holstein and by careful mating and
selection bring up and maintain a high
standard in his herd.
NOTES OF THE DAIRY.
There Is a time between corn cutting
time and the close of the pasture sea
son, when the cows need and should
have some form of succulent foods.
The frost will have spoiled the un
cut corn for that purpose, therefore it
is a good plan to sow oats and peas
for the purpose of supplying the de
fect, and keeping up the flow of milk.
Once a cow Is allowed to shrink ln
her milk flow, it will be very difficult
to bring her up again. Corn will help
keep up the flow until frosts come,
when it should go into the silo, and
the oats and peas which the frosts do
not injure much will take the place of
the corn.
More winter work by the cows will
make the dairy more profitable. Why
should a farmer shut up his dairy shop
just as soon as winter conies.
There is no economy in allowing the
cows to go dry three or four months
right in the season when milk is bring
ing nearly twice the price that it
brings during the summer.
The cows must work in the winter
just as their owner does if they are
profitable.
It is the common practice to allow
tha cows to go dry longer than It Is do
sirable. Much depends upon the Indi
viduality of the cow.
Another discouraging proposition is
a young person without ambition. To
allow one's energies to stagnate in the
very dawn of life is almost a crime and |her unborn calf.
still it is the easiest thing in the world Sweet corn is better than common
to do—but the tnouble is that it doesn't
produce any dividends and to those
who are in danger of doing this I say—
Get out of the rut! even if It Is a
little difficult to climb the hill, do it
anyway and learn what is going on
around you. You will see the workers
everywhere and the sight should in
spire you to Join the army. Open the
windows and doors of your hearts and
let ln the sunshine of heaven-plant
flowers, decorate your homes outside
and Inside. Show your parents every
day that you love them, by some little
loving attention, and by practical ef
fort, Be gay. The world is beautiful.
Some will want to go dry four
months, some less and some not at all,
but I think every cow will need a sea
son of rest of at least a month, or six
weeks. It will be better for her and
field for soiling purposes but it is not
adapted for the silo on account of de
veloping too much acid.
If a dairyman is going to feed his
stalks dry, sweet corn is better than
the field corn, but that is too expensive
a way to feed corn fodder, its place is
in the silo, therefore It Is best to plant
the field corn.
The man who Is breeding his cows
along the line of beef and butter pro
duction is bound to lose at one end
what he gains at the other.
There are poor cows ln all breeds
it Is not enough to. rely upon a pedl
you are young and throbbing with life !gree nor even upon the performance of
and strength. So send out to others'ancestry, helpful as thay are select
tha magnetism of your good nature. jing an anlmat
1
WOOD ASHES AS A FERTILIZER.
Wood ashes are much more valuable
as a fertiliser than most farmers sup
pose. We have used them In large
quantities for years and never fall to
get good results.
The unleached ashes contain from
5 to 10 per cent of potash, besides two
per cent of phosphoric acid and a large
amount of lime, hence they contain in
all the elements necessary to be added
to most soils except the nitrogen. If
the soil Is rich In nitrogen or If this be
supplied by adding a nitrate, stable
manure, or plowing under leguminous
crops, ashes will supply the potash and
phosphoric acid.
One hundred pounds of clean hard
wood ashes will contain about the fol
lowing amounts of fertilizing materials,
costing, If purchased In commercial
fertilizers, as follows:
6 pounds potash at 6 cents... .$0.30
2 pounds phosphoric acid at 6
cents 12
r0
pounds calcium carbonate
(Lime) at %c 18
$0.60
At fifty pounds to the bushel this
would make the ashes worth 30 cents
per bushel or $12 per ton. They can
generally be purchased at from $2 to
$5 per ton and sometimes secured in
limited quantities for the hauling.
Ashes vary much In composition and I
would not advise paying more than $6
per ton for unleached hardwood ashes
easily accessible, and perhaps half that
for leached ones. We have secured this
value from them In increased yields of
wheat and clover by actual trial.
In addition to their fertilizing value,
ashes help to decompose humus, set
ting ammonia free. They correct the
acidity of sour soils and check the
growth of sorrel. They also make the
Boll more porus by cementing together
the small particles, thus making It in
better tilth and preventing puddling
or hardening.
Fifty bushels of unleached ashes to
the acre makes a good application. It
is very valuable about trees and fruit
as the potash gives color and size to
the fruit. Leached ashes contain but
one per cent of potash hence are not
nearly so strong and may be applied
freely. Coal ashes are not worth haul
ing.— S. B. Hartman.
A WIRE STRETCHER.
This Is made of a hardwood log
about three and one-half feet long and
six Inches in diameter. Two one and
one-half Inch holes should be bored in
the roller at right angles several inches
apart through which hand spikes are
to be inserted to wind up the wl-
NEWS OR FILLERS.
A new Illinois law allows farmers
from 75 cents to $1 per mile for drag
ging roads. Under Its provisions the
man who is too lazy to drag the road
In front of his own farm will be
obliged to pay his neighbor or some
body else for doing it.
The Union Pacific Railroad has
adopted a weed burner which covers
twenty-five miles of road in twelve
hours and destroys the weeds, root and
branch. It is a gasoline machine with
blower attachments and some people
believe it can be adapted to the pur
pose of killing weeds on farms.
There are 17,162 co-operative farm
ing associations in Germany with a
membership of more than 1,000,000
farmers.
A Prize Winner Single Como White
Orphington, owned by Mrs. Robert
Senour of Indianapolis, This Is a hardy
breed and an excellent one for general
farm use.
The co-operative farm associations
of credit in Bavaria loan as high as
$70,000,000 per year to their members.
Lafet year these associations bought
fertilizers, forage, seed and other items
amounting to $12,000,000.
The farmers of Northern Pensyl
vanla have formed a union and here
after bottled milk and other farm
products will bear the union label.
T. R. Garton, of Warrington, Eng
land, a member of the most notable
plant breeding firm ln the world is
studying corn growing ln Iowa.
E. B. Miner, of Orlskany Falls, N.
Y„ dammed a small creek on his farm,
put in a dynamo and now drives his
feed cutters, fanning mill, pump, buzz
saw and all other machinery on the
farm by electricity. It cost him less
than $800 to Install the plant and the
expense of running It is absolutely
nothing.
Pennsylvania farmers are refusing
to accept free seeds sent out by their
congressman and they are clogging the
post offices.
MAKING WAR ON RATS
Government Tells How to Destroj/jf*
These Pests That "Cause bom
of ftlillkras."
'TVIB Agricultural Department has
1 issued a description of the com
mon Norway, or brown, rat with
some suggestions as to how It may be
kept down.
This rat is described as the "Worsl
mammal pest ln the United States—the
loss from Its depredations amounting
to many millions of dollars yearly
more than the losses from the depre
dations of all other Injurious mammals
combined."
Its dominance is due to its great fe
cundity and Its ability to adapt itsell
to all sorts of conditions. It breeds
three or four times a year and pro
duces from six to twelve, and even
more, young at a litter. Young females
breed when only four or five months
old.
It destroys grains when new:®
planted, while growing, and ln tl®
shock, stack, mow, crib, granary, ml rag
elevator, or ship's hold, and also in twjK
blft and feed trough. It invades stores^
and warehouses and destroys furs,
laces, silks, carpets, leather goods and
groceries.
It attacks vegetables, fruits a
meats in the market and destroys
pollution ten times as much as it ac^
ually eats.
It carries disease germs from housl
to house and bubonic plague from clty^
to city. It causes disastrous conflagra
tions floods houses by gnawing lead
water pipes ruins artificial ponds and
embankments by burrowing destroys
the farmers' pigs, eggs, and young
poultry eats the eggs and young of
song and game birds and damages
foundations, floors, doors and furnish
ings of dwellings.
One of the cheapest and most effec
tive poisons for rats and mice Is bar
ium carbonate, or barytes. This min
eral has the advantage of being with-jj
out taste or smell and, ln the small
quantities used ln poisoning rats ol]
mice Is harmless to larger animals.
Its action on rodents is slow, bu^
reasonably sure, and has the furthej
advantage that the animals beforp
Ing, If exit be possible, usually lea^
the premises in search of water,
employment in houses, therefore,
rarely followed by the annoying oJ
which attends the use of more viruq
poisons.
The poison may be fed ln the for_.
of a dough made of one-fifth baryt^j1
and four-fifths meal, but a more cti
venient bait Is ordinary oatmeal,
about one-eighth of Its bulk of barytl
mixed with water to a stiff dough o9_
the barytes may be spread upon breaa"
and butter or moistened toast.
The prepared bait should be placed
ii\ rat runs, a small quantity at a
place. If a single application fails to
drive all rats from the premises. It
should be repeated with a change of
bait.
Strlchnine Is a more virulent poison,
but its action is so rapid that the ani
mals often die upon the premises, a
circumstance which prohibits its use In
occupied dwellings. Elsewhere strych
nine may be employed with great suc
cess. Dry strychnine crystals may be
Inserted in small pieces of raw meat,
Vienna sausage, or toasted cheese, and
these placed in the rat runs or oat
meal may be wet with a strychnine
sirup and small quantities laid out In
the same way.
For poisoning rats in buildings and
yards occupied by poultry, the follow
ing method Is recommended: Two
wooden boxes should be used, one con
siderably larger than the other and
each having two or more holes, in the
side large enough to admit rats.
The poisoned bait should be placed
on the bottom and near the middle of
the larger box, and the smaller boA'
should then be inverted over it Rata
thus have free access to the bait, but
fowls are excluded.
Trapping, If persistently followed, la
one of the most effective methods of
destroying rats. The Improved mod
ern traps with a wire fall released by a
baited trigger and driven by a coiled
spring have marked advantages over
the old forms and many of them may
be used at the same time.
While trapping, all other food
should be changed often. Rats are
very suspicious, and baits and trapa
should be handled as little as possible.
Increased success may be secured both
In trapping and poisoning If the rata
are fed for a night or two with the
kinds of food to be used for bait.
The best way of excluding rats from
buildings, whether in the city or coun
try, is by the use of cement ln con'
structlon. As the advantages of thi*
material are coming to be generally
understood. Its use is rapidly extending
to all kinds of buildings.
The cellar walls should have coiw
crete floorings and the walls them*
selves be laid ln cement mortar. Th«
cellar floor should be of the "medium"
rather than "lean" concrete, and all
water and drain pipes should be sur
rounded with concrete.
Even an old cellar may be made rat
proof at comparatively small cost. Rat
holes may be permanently closed by a
mixture of cement, sand, and broken
glass or sharp bits of stone.
Rat-proof granaries, corncrlbs, and
poultry houses may be constructed by
a liberal use of concrete in the founda
tions and floors.
Rats, mice and sparrows may be e»,
eluded from corncrlbs by the use
oi
either an outer or an Inner covering oi
flne-mesh wire netting sufficiently
heavy to resist the teeth of rats.
The common custom of setting corn*
cribs upon posts with inverted pans at
the top often fails because the post*
are not long enough to insure that th
lower cracks of vthe structure are be
yond Jumping reach of rats. -The post*
should project at least three feet above,
the surface of the ground.
SB