Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-19

could be funnler than
the notion OF using
| imitation flowers with poisoned honey TO at
tract noxious Insects? The artificial blos-
som, each containing a small quantity of
susary liquid properly prepared, are to be
fastened to twigs. Moths of destructive
species sip the deadly nectar and die. A
more elaborate device of similar descrip-
ton is intended for the protection of apple
trees. 1t is tin can covered as to its up
per half with luminous paint On the out
side Of the lower half apple blossoms are
represented with the same sort of paint
Inside of the receptacle is a small quantity
OF cider. The can is to be hung on a branch
OF an apple tree at night. Insects attract
ed by the pictured flowers light upon the
can The smell Of the cider induces them
to enter through holes provided for that
purpose; they drop into the cider and are
drowned.
Difference Not Easily Seen
1t Is not always easy to distinguish be-
tween a crank idea and a useful discoy-
cry. The poisoned counterfeits of flowers
above described are said to work very well
Many years ago q man got a patent for a
method of killing bugs on trees by inclos-
ing the whole tree in a sort of balloon Of
canvas. into which an aspffyxiating gas
was to be poured for the purpose of suf-
| locating the insects. Everybody thought
he was a lunatic. But now that his patent
has run out the merits of the plan have
suddenly obtained appreciation and It's
adoption is alleged to have saved the or
ange-growfng Industry in California.
several kinds OF luminous bats for fish
have been patented. One of these is a
minnow OF hollow glass coated on the IN
| side partly With solution of gold or silver
and partly with luminous paint. The re-
suit is a very brilliant object in the water.
calculated to attract any predacious crea-
| ture with fins. Another interesting con-
trivance is for making frog bait more Sc
| ductive. The jerking of the line equipped
| with this device causes the frogs legs to
move as IL he were swimming
Contrivanoes for catching insects are
more numerous than any others One of
them is furnace for slaughtering potato
| bugs. To begin with. a deep and wide
furrow is to be plowed all around an in
Tested field Through this trench a smooth
log Is dragged TO make the surface hard
and smooth The bugs in migrating to
other grounds are unable to scale the
trench. and the furnace. which is cylinder
or IRON hled with fuel, is drawn along the
furrow and destroys them Other odd de-
vices are cartridges intended to be inserted
| In the mouths OF the ant holes and to be
nred, thus communicating sitting vapors 70
the subterranean chambers; also many
kinds of lamps for attracting and burning
up the moths of various worms in cotton
nelds- There Is a toy pistol for insects
which sucks them in when the trigger is
pulled.
To Catch the Horn Fly.
An ingenious westerner has invented
trap for catching the horn fly. which is such
an enemy to cattle in some parts of the
country. 1t consists most Importantly of
great frame. to which brush is attached in
such a manner that when the beasts walk
through. eager, as they always are, to
scratch themselves, the flies will be scraped
from their bodies by the branches Finally
the frame is closed up by means of doors
and the captured insects are DESTROYED.
Nearly everybody has heard of the gold
| tapeworm trap. which the patient swallows
Bedbug traps are Of several varieties. all of
them being intended to afford attractive
hiding places for those bloodsuckers and TO
| be burned or scalded out afterward
Much ingenuity has been expended in rat
traps. Some Of them are so elaborate that
| no full-witted rat would go near them. One
| requires Mr.. Rat to come in through a DOOR
which drops behind him and makes him a
prisoner. Seeing a bright light above, he
ascends a flight of little steps and trots
| across a small plank that is so nicely ad-
justed as to balance that his weight causes
| ii to tip and throw him into a tank OF wa
| ter. Another contrivance consists of
double chamber. One chamber has a glass
end, through which Mr.. Rat sees two or
| three imitation rats having nice time
with a bit of cheese. Wishing to Join them
he runs around the box. gets into the other
chambers, and is caught.
| There are a number OF devices which en-
ploy mirrors for the purpose of Turing Mr.
| Rat to his fate. He mounts on top of a bar
| rel and sees a toothsome piece OF cheese
| G 10 he
dent-in reality his own reflection, in a
| piece Of looking glass-coming for the cheese
| from the opposite direction. He makes a
| dash to get there first. and a pivotted
board drops him into the cask. which is
half-full of water. Rats will swim for a
| long time. so one humanitarian has patent
| ed water trap with little shelves around
| the edge and just above the surface. on
the shelves are placed small lead weights
| with fish hooks hanging from them The
captured rat, In trying to escape, erasps
one OF the hooks. gets it fastened in his
| mouth, dislodges the piece Of lead and IS
carried to the bottom by the latter.
To Catch Thieves.
Sparrow traps are of many different kinds.
Most # them invite the birds to walk in
| through a. door which drops behind them.
| making them prisoners. When next seen.
In the restaurants. they are reed birds on
| toast. OF greater interest are contriyances
| for catching thieves. One of them is de-
| signed to discourage bank sneaks The
sneak puts his hand in through the tellcr's
bwindow and unintentionally actuates a
| mechanism which causes a slide with SPIKES
| to close suddenly upon his paw and impale
\ II. A trap of a somewhat similar charac-
ter Is a steel shutter for a house window so
| disguised with covering and fringe as to
| look like an ordinary curtain II a burglar
tries TO enter at night, IL shuts down upon
him. the spikes hidden by the fringe help
| ing to hold him fast.
| American inventors have been fruitful of
queer ideas In musical instruments. Patents
have been sought for v1ollns made Of metal
or earthenware, Of glass. of leather, and
even OF glue. Plain wood, however, main
tains Its place as the accepted material for
| TINS purpose. How many people have ever
heard Of the "doorophone?" 1t consists Of g.
| frame and sounding board, with tuned wires
and little metal balls suspended. The con-
| trfvance Is hung upon a door, When the
| latter Is opened, the balls swing back and
| forth and strike harmonious chords
There Is a patented device for playing the
banjo by electricity. 1t requires no skill
the instrument being operated by a sheet Of
paper with perforatfons which control the
| making and breaking of a circuit. Mechan-
| ical fingers thus actuared pick the strings
and depress them at the frets Another in
strument is so arranged that one may play
| the banjo by manipulating the keys OF a
| keyboard like that of a piano on a small
4 e &c