The Portland daily press., 1881-07-02
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY 2.
A CHAPTER on Moths,

A Chapter on Moths.
In the matter of moths the traditional ounce
of prevention is worth many pounds of cure,
the best way to prevent their ravages being to
lay away furs and woolens just as soon as the
season for wearing them is over. The worst
month for moths is said to be June, and before
that time all articles likely to be molested by
them should be securely packed. away. In our
furnace-heated houses, however, where the
temperature is kept at summer heat through
out the winter, whatever it may be outside.
the clothes moth exists the year round, and is
aggressively active as early as the first warm
days of May, which, in our uncertain climate,
is too early to dispense altogether with winter
clothing. Fortunately, furs, which are the
most difficult thing to protect from the moth
are also the first which may be laid aside for
the season. Before this is done have them
beaten thoroughly, i. e., whipped we'll with
small rattan, which is what furriers
use for the same purpose. Then examine
the felt carefully, and where yon
find the hair matted tightly to-
gether, part them, and wet the spot thorough
~ JOe oo do NV W eouOi thO buJoOOhe
hair, with spirits of ammonia. After this
fold the garment, with layers of newspapers
between each fold, and gum camphor sprin-
led on the fur; and finally, either sew the bun
die in an old sheet or wrap it in newspapers,
FASTING the edges. If this is done carefully
and speedily, you may rely with comparative
certainty that your goods are beyond the reach
OF the small destroyer The best moth-proof
chests are those made of red cedar, to the odor
of which the insect has an unconquerable aver
sion, and the camphor wood chests which sea-
men bring from the East Indies. The genuine
cedar chest is a massive and costly affair, made
of inch cedar plank with walnut holdings and
iron clamps. Fortunately for people of moder
ate means, Yankee ingenuity has contrived
cedar packing trunks, which answer all pur-
poses of utility and which are far less expen-
sive. These are the ordinary packing trunk,
lined with thin veneering of cedar, which,
though less than the eighth of an inch thick,
fits closely in every crack and corner, and rem
ders the trunk at once moth-proof and air.
tight. No camphor is needed in such a chest;
only be careful to see that no traces of moths
are in the garments before packing; and lay
away smoothly with newspaper layers between
each STRATUM OF ClOlu6S as an auUlIloudl pre-
caution. A wealthy lady, whose stock OF furS
in rugs and robes and wraps is something Won
derful, has for their safe-keeping in summer
two large, old-fashioned cedar chests. The
furs are well beaten and then stored i'll these
chests, with pounds of camphor sprinkled
among them. 1t is needless to say that they
are never molested. Paper barrels with close
fitting heads form another effectually moth
proof case. The paper of which these are
made is thoroughly impregnated with coal tar,
and whatever is put into them is practically
safe from the incursion of the moth miller.
Tar paper is sold by the sheet as a moth pre-
ventive, and any one may make for herself a
moth-proof chest by lining an ordinary packing
box with this paper, putting layer under the
lid also. The odor is overpowering, and no
right-minded moth will crawl over it in search
OF place to deposit her eggs. No matter how
many cracks and nail holes there may be in
the box, If the tar paper lines them all its con-
tents are safe. But inside OF the lining OF tar
paper there should be one of newspapers OF
several sheets thick, since in warm weather es-
pecially the black tar paper stains badly.
Common newspaper is also valuable moth
preventive. The moth miller is said to dis
like printers ink, and while the paper op-
poses no obstruction to the ravages of moths
already in the garment, it will, if un-
broken and pasted at the edges, ef-
fectually keep them out. For additional So
curity it is wiser to lay the parcel away in
closed trunk, but where packing chests run
ohoAs ~ 40 SOuCIdliy Sdlo " pun tuoL vi ouOlFOo
in mouse-proof closet, the danger being that
the mice may cut the paper and the moth
miller thus affect an entrance. In the case OF
valuable furs, about which there is cause for
nneasiness. examine them three weeks after
storing. The eggs of the moth miller hatch
out in from fifteen to twenty days, and the
moth at once begins its destructive work.
Therefore, by this second inspection, assur-
ance may be made doubly sure. 1t is now
regular part of the furrier's business TO store
20 I'm a hl0 frrac a.,1 lid elAu IC 1rir,
them against fire, robbery and moths, and
where lady owns five hundred dollar seal
sacque or still more costly set of sables she is
prudent to con6de them to some reliable firm
for safe keeping. Furs sent to them are care
fully examined before storing, and should
the moth have attacked them they de-
cline the care of them, fearing the danger to
other furs in their custody. Carpets keep best
on floors with crash over them, and bits of
camphor under the edges. 1t is where the
carpet is folded under, where the foot does not
tread, and under heavy pieces of furniture that
the moth usually makes its nest, and where
1t must be looked for. A hot fat-iron and
wet cloth is sufficient to destroy them in an
ingram or Brussel carpet pressing the
carpet with the iron through the wet
cloth; but for Wilton or Administer,
the one safe ndsspeedy method is to send it to
the steam-cleaner, whose process will effectual-
~ destroy the moth. Next to this is the use of
the hot iron and wet cloth, which must be
opPh0u W tuo WrouS Slu6 OIL Gl0 car
pet since the thick pile ON the right side is not
easily penetrated by the heat. If carpets are
taken up during the Summer it is wiser not to
beat them before putting them away, provided
OF course that there are no moths in them.
The dust in the carpet keeps the moths, to
some extent, from cutting it. On the other
hand, spots of grease, and, more, those made
by sugar or syrup, attract the moth miller.
To put away dirty garment is to offer pre-
MUM to the moths, who much prefer it to
clean one. The lint which accumulates at the
head of fiounces and under the folds of plait-
ing form admirable moth nests; therefore
Winter dresses should be carefully busted be-
fore putting away. Garments which are to be
made over should be ripped apart; they keep
fresher, are easier to pack, may be more readily
cleaned. and last, but not least, are all ready
for work in the Fall. So, also if all garments
are examined before packing, those which are
worthless may be left out, and others mended
SO that when needed in the Fall they will be
ready to put on, saving great deal of trouble
The most fertile source of moths is the rubbish
which insensibly accumulates in every house.
hold. Scraps of flannel, old bits of carpets,
old feather pillows stored away in the garrett
these are the breeding places of the pest 1t
would in many cases be economy to burn them
all; but, in all events, the law of self-preser-
walton requires that they should be looked to
in the early Spring. A small cedar-lined
trunk is the best receptacle for wooden scraps
which must be kept for mending, but a close
packing trunk, with camphor freely scattered
among the contents, will serve the same pur-
pose.