Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-07-14
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A Chapter on Moths.

la the matter Of moths the traditional
ounce Of prevention i worth many pound /,
Of cure. the best way 10 prevent their raN
ages being TO lay away furs and woo!ens
just as soon a. the season for wearing them
10 over. The worst month for moths is said
10 be June, and before that time all articles
likely to be molested by them should be
securely packed away la our furnace heated
houses, however, where the temperature il
kept al summer heat throughout the winter.
whatever II may be outside, the clothes
moth exists the year round. and Is agrees
iyely active a. early a. the FIRST warm days
Of MAY, which. IN our uncertain climate, Is
too early 10 dispense altogether with winter
clothing Fortunately. furs, which are the
most difficult thing 10 protect from the moth
are also the trst which may be laid aside for
the season. Before this Is done, have them
beaten thoroughly, l. e., whipped well with
small rattan, which is what furriers use
for the same purpose. Then examine the
peit carefully, and where you find :he hair
matted tightly together, part il, and vet
the spot thoroughly, Yet daintilv, as not
10 touch the adj accent hair. with spirits Of
ammonia. After this. fold the garment,
with LAYERS Of newspapers between each
fold. and gum camphor sprlnkled ON the
fur and. finally, either sew the bundle in all
old sheet or wrap II in newspapers, pasting
the edges. IL this is done carefully aud
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 aversion, and the camphor
wood chests which seamea bring from the
East Indies. The genuine cedar chest is a
massive and costly affair, made Of inch cedar
plank With walnut moldIngs and iron clamps.
Fortunately for people of moderate means,
Yankee ingenuity has contriyed cedar pack
Ing-trunks, which answer all purposes of
utility and which are far less expensive.
These are the ordinary packing trunk, lined
with thin veneering Of cedar, which, though
les. than the eighth Of an inch thick, fits
closely in every crack and corner. and rem
ders the trunk al 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 pack
ing; and lay away smoothly with newspaper
LAYERS between each stratum of clothes as
an additional precaution. A wealthy lady,
whose stock Of furs in rugs and robes and
wraps is something wonderful. has for their
safe-keeping in summer, two large, old-fash-
ioned cedar chests. The furs are we'll beaten
and then stored in these chests, with pounds
Of camphor sprinkled among them. Ii is
needless TO say that they are never mo-
Tested Paper barrels with close-ftting
heads form another efeetually 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 ineursion of the moth miller. Tar
paper is sold by the sheet a moth preyen-
tive, and any one may make for herself
moth-proof chest by lining an ordinary
packing box with this paper, putting a layer
under the lid also. The odor is overpower-
ing, and no right-minded moth will crawl
over in search Of place to deposit her eggs.
No matter how many cracks and nail holes
there NAV be in the box, if the tar paper lines
them all, its contents are safe. But, inside
Of the lining Of tar paper there should be
one of newspapers several sheets thick,
since in warm weather especially, the black
tar paper stains badly. Common new spaper
is also valuable moth preventive. The
moth miller is said to dislike printers ink,
and while the paper opposes no obstruction
to the ravages of moths already in the gar
ment, it viii, if unbroken and pasted at the
edges. efectuslly keep them out. For ad-
ditional security it is wiser to lay the parcel
away in closed trunk, but where packing
chests run short, it is generally safe to put
them on shelves in a mouse proof closet,
the danger being that the mice may cut the
paper and the moth miller thus effect an en-
trance. Il the case of valuable furs, about
which there is cause for uneasiness. 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, assurance may be made