Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-05-29
HOMEMAKEkS COLUMN.
CSrvrsrcsdesce On tspics 81 isssy.e 70 the laile:
ColunH. Osferi tsemrrsi. Para. haiss-
MOTHS.
rIIriR nApIrs AND SOME METHODS ~
pEsrRo,ixo THIN.


Name Of dread to every housewife!
who does not recollcct some choice
TREASURED article, which had been put
away for time, that on being brought
TO the light and untolded WAS found To
have been eaten and spoiled by these In
famous insects. The moth IL coward
Nv creature, az all of his work is done In
the dark, and the flrst intlmstion one
has of hls presence comes from the dis
coyery Of his deprcdstlons.
IL Il q little difficult Ia say where the
life Of moth begins or ends, or rather
to get starting point from which 10
give hls history. lie u hsiched. gener-
ally speaking, about the hrst of June,
and Immediately begins To eat and make
free with the choicest fabrics. WOODEN
cloths and furs being his favorite arti-
Giles Of diet. II not discovered aud pun.
l.hed for his habits land he IL 40 small
as to he very hard TO detect, he con-
tinues IN eat his way through the sum
mer aud autumn, ill cold weather comes
on.
lie then becomes torpid and harmless
ill spring. when be changes With the
coming IL warm weather Into chrysalis
and In about three weeks emerges With
a pair 81 wings suited to the slss Of his
reconstructed diminutive body. He
that Il, sbe-files about evenings, keep
ing out 81 sight during the day, I'LL May
or June. In various dark aud obscure
places lays quantities. Of eggs, 90 small
that they can only he discovered by the
use Of a microscope or the exercise OF
very sharp eyeslght. then dies, having
done quite enough mischief Tor one
semi.visible pest.
There u no certain way OF preventing
the ravsges of moths, or rather their en-
trance To q house, since they can so cas-.
ily intrude themselves, and are 50 hard
Ia detect. II should be remembered
that they work only In darkness, aud
that where a food Of light can be adj
United during the day they are not Ike
~ 10 appear. II Ia Ia the obscure hooks
therefore, that attention IL tn BE- direct
ed--to the edges aud corners OF carpets.
the contents Of drawers, chests aud
presses, the wooden feltins of Office
desks, and the like.
All WOODEN goods which are In danger
~ being Infested should be brushed aud
beaten, hung In the sun and air " prsc-
tIcable, then be carefully wrapped 10
thick, unbroken paper. before being laid
away. The moth miller cannot get In
.lde the paper 10 lay her eggs, aud the
young moths cannot penetrate II after
they are Matched.
HE fumes Of csmpbor. "a l. pretty
generally known, are fatal Tn moths,
and In putting away winter ciothe. ana
fur., wrapping With them, or placing In
the enclosure, = small quantity OF cam
phor gum Il pretty certain preventive
Of moth raysge.. Tar IL also rcpugnsni
To them, but for manifest reasons u can
not D. very extensively used. Tar paper
for lining u.es may sometimes be adj
yautag,ously employed. Turpentine,
insect powder and finely ground pepper
ar, al.o fatal Ia the little pests, " they
can BE- brought together.
One method Of treating carpets, desk
uphol.tsries and the like, which cannot
BE- readily reached In any other way,
NAV properly De called the steam bath.
The process consists In wettlng the
goods supposed Ia lie infected, then lay
ing over them two or three thieknesses
Of cloth thoroughly vet, and going over
the whole with very hot fstlrou. IA
.oon a. the iron changes temperature
sufficiently To render its work uncertain.
another should be substituted. III this
plan 1. thoroughly carried out. the de-
.truciion of both moth and esg. Is Ger
tain.
The buffalo moth I. even more vexs.
tiou. In hi. conduct than the ordinary
Kind. lie IL usually found about the
edges % the carpst, and " directed In
other channels, his Industry would De
commendAble. In addition to woolens,
thi. insect feeds on the pollen OF ,ariol.
shrubs, and Il said To be very fond OF
spirsa. For this reason, people are
warned against having TIL. shrub near
their dwellings. as the moth IL aid Ia ny
from Il into the buildlng, aud lay us
eggs on any wooden article which eau
De- found, but q remote, dark corner u
given the preference. Csmphor, pep
FER and strong alum water are among
IN. prcyenti,es recommended Tor this
pest. Another plan, which 10 said io
work very well, IL Ia take strips OF red or
blue flannel, the.e colors being pariicu-
larly attractive 20 moths, and saturate
them with q strong solution OF arsenic,
placing them about the edges 81 the car
pets, or In other sections Infested. or
likely To be ironbled. The strip Of Han
neI will be- eaten, aud the carpet left In
tact. After making one meal, the in-
truder give. no further trouble of any
Kind. IL does not need To be said that
In the use of so dangerous = remedy the
greatest care should be- exercised. Hen
Iine aud psp,ha are also destructive to
moths aud their eggs, but IL must be- rc-
msmbered that they are very inflsm-
hable. and should be employed only 10
the daytime, and bv skillful and care
full person.-Gocd Housekeeping.