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New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 498, 27 October 1882, Page 19

A writer to the Scientific American says: "We clean our premises of the detestable vermin, rats, by making whitewash yellow with copperas and covering the stones and rafters with it. In every crevice in which a rat may go we put the crystals of the copperas, and scatter in the corner ol the floor. Tne result was a perfect stampede of rats and mice. Since that time not a footfall^ of either rats and mice has been heard around the house. Every spring a coat of yellow-wash is given the cellar as a purifier, as a rat exterminator, and no typhoid, dysentry or fever attacks the family. Many persons delioerately attract all the rats in the neigh bonrhood by leaving the fruits and vegetables uncovered in the cellar, aud sometimes even the soap is left open for their regalement. Cover up everything eatable in the cellar and pantry aud you will soon starve them out. These precautions, joined to lie service of a good cat, w.ll prove as good a rat extermiuator as the chemist can provide. We never allow rats to be poisoned in our dwelling. They are apt to die between the walls and produce much annoyance."