Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1881-09-15

House and Farm.
Bed.Bugs.

Ihave had another bout with these
pests. How do they come? | wish
they made noise like mosquitoes; but
no they come upon you like thief
in the night, while all is quiet. l am
thankful that a bite wakes me at
once, else l might have not known to
this day that the enemy was in our
midst. 1t was more than two weeks
after I felt Tho first ala rm, and lit a
lamp to kill the foe, before was able
to clean the suspicious chamber.
Every day l turne ! up the corners Of
the mattresses and examined the bed
steads, and scrutinized all the bed
ding and walls. but never bug did
l see, except in the night. Only a
few nights before the cleaning | found
the first small bugs, half a dozen
adults having preceded them in pre-
vious nights. Inever sleep soundly
whom l suspect bed-bugs, but light a
lamp and go to hunting whenever |
hear child nesting uneasily. ! be-
gan to clean the chamber by examln-
ing all the clothing as took it down
from the hooks; all the articles Of fur
niture as I removed them from the
rooms, then every article Of bedding
but with no succeas until | came to
the mattresses. On two corners
found the clusters Of tiny white eggs
with some newly-hatched bugs, and
in two or three places in the spring
bed, nests which promised a prolific
increase. All of the time | was very
careful not to scatter them, preferring
to hunt them in the beadsteads, and
hoping to run no risk Of getting them
into the walls or under the mop
boards. One slat at a time was taken
out carefully, watching at each end,
and then examined in every portion
before putting back. The whole bed
stead was cleaned, and then the
cracks ond joints brushed with am
monia. | like to use this because it
kills the bugs and q believe, but am
not certain from my own observation
destroys the life Of tbs eggs, but its
powerful smell brings out any bugs
in dismay that have escaped my eye.
I use fine knitting needle to poke
out the cracks. | kill all Of the bugs
and crush all the eggs ! see, and dose
we'll with ammonia where | cannot
see. l found only few full.grown
bugs, and it seemed to me | did the
hurting and destruction business very
thoroughly, but | never feel sure that
the work is all done, and continue to
watch and search for some time after
the big hunt. If see another bug |
shall try the new remedy recommend
ed to me by neighbor. She says
there is nothing like alum, as she has
learned by experience. Her dlrec-
tons were as follows: dissolve
alum in water, using a little more
alum than the water will take up,
Wash over every possible place for
bugs with this strong solution, using
rag or brush, as is most conve,
nient." This remedy is safe and
cheap and is said to be very efectual,
For log house, or in unfinished
rooms, how would it do to use a
whitewash brush, and 60 all ever the
walls, floors and ceilings? Alum Is
cheap, and it is easily dissolved in
water.
| asked, how do they come p We
cannot tell in each particular case,
but by great care we can usually
keep free from them, though the case
is a hard one when one moves into a
house with infested walls. My neigh
Dor lent an umbrella, and when, after
o week or so, it was returned, she
opened it while carrying it to it's
place. She had 10 thought of bugs,
but there was poor hungry looking
bed.bug in the folds Of the umbrella.
A hired man came to new place to
work, and the next morning a bug
was found on the wall near his vallse.
An overcoat was borrowed in a storm
and in its folds was found a bed.bug.
People who are very careful never
lay the outer clothing OF visitors upon
a bed, but upon table or chair. 1t
seems unkind to be suspicious, but
my mother tells Of seeing a great bed
bug on the shawl of a visitor, as it