her
ways that I have mentioned, I caught 183 Rats! This I give merely as an
illustration to show the necessity of engaging an experienced man to
catch Rats--that is, if you want them caught. And to confirm the
statements above, I shall be most happy to supply privately the name and
place of the firm, and also to give a personal interview if necessary.

And now a word or two respecting the different ways in which Rat-catchers
are treated. Many people think that a Rat-catcher is favoured if they
give him permission to catch Rats on their farms or round the banks of
their corn or wheat fields. Well, on some occasions I grant this may be
a favour, for I have seen when I have had an order in hand for about 10
dozen Rats, and have had only a day or two in which to get them. Such
are the only times and circumstances when a Rat-catcher gives his
services gratis, and simply because he wants the live Rats. Most farmers
will send you word when they are threshing their corn, and then the value
of the Rats are worth the day's work to the Rat-catcher.

This is all right as far as it goes, but when one comes to consider the
yearly expenses of the Rat-catcher it will be found that they are very
heavy. Now, first of all it will cost, at the least, 5 pounds annually
for the wear and tear of traps alone, then there is the wear and tear of
nets; two dog licences; always three or four ferrets to keep (and ferrets
are often lost down drains or killed by Rats); also sundry other
expenses, such as store cages, etc. Then, again, the Rat-catcher always
has to pay a man to help him.

I don't call Rat-catching a trade only: I maintain that it is a
profession, and one that requires much learning and courage. I have
found this out when I have been under a warehouse floor, where a lot of
Rats were in the traps, and I could not get one man out of 50 to come
under the floor and hold the candle for me, not to mention helping me to
take the live Rats out of the traps. I just relate this because at some
places where we go and where we catch perhaps 30 Rats, the first thing
they say when the bill is presented is "Why, you have got 15s. worth of
live Rats!" They don't think of the damage 30 Rats can do to fancy
goods, nor do they consider the evil smells that men have to tolerate
under the floors or from the bad drains.

I could relate many interesting anecdotes of what I have seen and heard
about Rats, but I fear its perusal might take up too