HOW TO GET RID OF RATS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1831, 20 December 1888, Page 3

HOW TO GET RID OF RATS.

Allow me (writes a correspondent of the S.A. Register) to suggest a simple means of getting rid of rats. In the year 1855 I was in command of a vessel lying alongside the wharf at Melbourne, embarking Chinese passengers for Hong Kong. The wharves were so infested with rats that it was impossible to prevent their getting on board, and my vessel was i well stocked with them. After being at sea a few days I mustered the passengers— with their effects—on deck, to give them an airing, and for the purpose of giving the passenger-deck a good cleaning, and sprinkling some chloride of lime with water. I had two buckets of the same mixture poured down the pumps. This I continued weekly, when to my surprise the rats made a raid on the cabin (poop) on deck, and became so troublesome that neither myself nor my officers cared about turning in at night. A happy thought struck me—that the chloride of lime had driven them from below deck, so I had everything cleared out of the cabin and. storerooms, and freely used the mixture.. '] his had the desired effect, the rats taking shelter in every available place

outside. This gave us some good sport, especially on a moonlight night, when all hands engaged in hunting rats and driving them overboard, so by the time we reached Hong Kong not one 'Was .left. On my return to England I took a house and furnished i# t. After being in it a short time, I found that it was infested with rats. They would go through every part of the ground floor. On examination I discovered that a drain ran under the house, emptying into the harbor, I here again used the chloride of lime freely, and in less than a week every rat had taken its departure. I have recommended this remedy to many shipmasters and friends on shore, and in all cases it has proved a success. I have occupied my present house for five years and we have neither rat nor mouse on the premises. I attribute this to the free use of the above mixture, which is also effective as a deodoriser and disinfectant.