Moles are among the animals commonly regarded as vermin by farmers and garden ers; and in gardens they are certainly it pest ; but it is probable that many pastures owe much of their long-continued fertility to the incessant stirring of the soil by moles; and when they are not excessively numerous, it may be better to undertake the labor of scattering the molehills, than to attempt the destruction of the creatures which throw them up.
Even rats and mice, although often among the most troublesome of vermin, are nor, in all circumstances, to be regarded as mere pests. They are so, it is true, in fields, in houses, and in ships; but much of the refuse of towns would probably become far more offensive and injurious than it is, if it were left to putrefy, and the rats, which frequent the most filthy places, render valuable service by devouring it. Police regulations may be imagined, which, if strictly enforced, would render the presence of rats no longer desirable; but in this case, their numbers would probably soon diminish with the dimi nution of their supply of food, Some of the means used for the destruction of vermin may be briefly noticed. Besides the use of cats for catching mice and rats, and of dogs, particularly terriers, to kill rats, the principal means employed are traps and poison. Of traps for rats and mice, there is great variety. The common wire spring trap for mice, baited with cheese or scorched oatmeal, which catches them by the neck and chokes them, on their biting through a thread, in order to reach the bait, is probably the best, and is too well known to need description. The stamp spring-trap in general use for rats is equally well known, but is liable to the objection that cats, or even dogs, may be caught in it, and have their legs broken, or be otherwise injured, when it is placed in situations to which they have access. Rats also learn to apprehend danger, and avoid the trap; their sense of smell probably guiding them, which is veiy acute, and apprises them of the touch of human hands. To overcome this difficulty, oil of aniseed, or oil of caraway, is often used, which seems to render the bait more attractive, at the same time that it hides the warn ing smell. Professional rat-catchers ascribe especial value to oil of rhodium, but it is snore expensive than the oils already named. The poison most commonly used is the white oxide of arsenic, which, however, must be used with great caution, so that only the creatures for which it is intended may get at it. Pieces of bread and butter sprinkled with sugar are laid down for a day or two, and then bread and butter sprinkled with arsenic; some of the oils which have been mentioned being at the same tin i ie employed. A better mode of poisoning rats is by it preparation devised by Dr. Urc, which is fatal to them, but scarcely dangerous to other animals: Hog's lard is melted in a bottle plunged in water at a temperature of 150° Fehr., and an ounce of phosphorus is added to every
pound of lard, with a quantity of proof-spirit, to aid the mixture of the lard and phos phorus, which, when cooled, form a white mass, the spirit separating from it, so as to be fit for use again. This compound, very gently warmed, and mixed with flour and sugar, may be made into pellets, flavored with some of the attractive oils, and laid down near rat-holes. It Is also used with advantage for field-mice, small pellets being scat tered where they are very abundant. It is safer for this purpose than nux vomica, which is sometimes used, and more effectual than We powder of hellebore, and staves acre seeds.
In farm yards, the precaution of placing ricks on frames or supports which mice can not climb, is of great importance, as mice, when they get into a rick of corn, soon multiply excessively, and effect great destruction. No sticks should be allowed to rest against ricks. Corn in stacks may be secured from mice by building them on stone staddles, with an overhanging ledge, or ou iron staddlcs, the smoothness of the iron pre venting mice and rats from climbing.
The method employed with great success for destroying the held-vole, or short-tailed field mouse, by digging pits, is noticed in the article VOLE.
Rats may be destroyed in great numbers in a barn, if it can be made nearly air-tight, by placing in it a number of chafing-dishes, filled with lighted charcoal, strewing over them bits of broken stick-brimstone; after which the barn must be quitted as quickly as possible, the door closed, and so left for two days. When the door is opened again, numerous rats will be found lying dead. Another method is that of spreading the floor with caustic potash, which, adhering to the rats' feet, is licked off. The result is obvious.
Where rats and mice are not very numerous, the trap is sufficient, but where they swarm, poison must be employed.
Rubbing the hands with a mixture of essential oils, before setting the trap, is enough to prevent the smell of the hands from being noticed by rats.
Traps for taking vermin either alive or dead have been invented by Mr. Miles, gard ener at Roslyn house, Hampstead, and have been found, we believe, to answer well.
A very good box-trap used for rats, and polecats, etc., is open at both ends, the doors closing when the animal runs upon a bridge in the middle. Another and very simple kind of box-trap is used for rats, open only at one end, the bait placed near the other, and connected with a string, which, being loosed while the bait is being eaten, the door falls. This trap, however, can secure only one rat at a time.
Mixture of oils recommended for rats: oil of rhodium, 1 scruple; oil of caraway, 1 drachm; oil of lavender, 5 drops; oil of aniseed, 10 drops; tincture of musk, 2 drops.
A stamp-trap, such as is used for rats, is used also for foxes, wild-cats, etc.—the dif ference being merely in size.