The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-08-04
MECHANICAL FREAKS.
Queer Things That Are Sent to the
Patent Office.
Contrlvnnces for Corrallin4 Beasts and
Bugs Many Inventors After tho
Er1sky Rodlent-Odd Musical
Euatru M nta,

C0ntr1vonces for COrrallin4 Beasts and
bugs Many Inventors After tho
Erlsky ROdent-Odd Musical
Instruments.
American invention has given birth
to no end of freaks, which have been
ernbalmed at the patent Office, In
Washington, in order that they may
them are devices for entrapping
beasts, bugs, fishes and even human
beings.
What, for example, could be funnier
thnn the notion of using imitation
flowers with poisoned honey to attract
noxious insects? The artificial bios
SONS, each containing a small quanti-
arc to be fastened to tvvigs. Moths Of
destructive species sip the deadly
nectar and die. more elaborate de-
vice of a similar description Is intended
for the protection Of apple trees. 1t is a
tin can covered as to it's upper half
with luminous paint. On the outside
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 attracted 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
arc drowned.
1t is not always easy to distinguish
between a crank idea and a useful dis
covery. The poisoned couhterfeits of
flowers above described are said to
work very we'll. Many years ago a
man got n patent for q method of kill
ing bugs on trees by inclosing the
whole tree in a sort of balloon of cam
vas, into which an asphyxiating gas was
to be poured for the purpose of suffo-
eating the insects. Everybody thought
he was a lunatic; but now that his
patent has run out the merits of the
plan have suddenly obtained epprecia-
ton, and it's adoption is alleged to
have saved the orange -growine indus
try in California.
Several kinds Of luminous bats for
fish have been patented. One of these
is a minnow of hollow glass coated on
the inside partly with a solution of
gold or silver and partly with luminous
paint. The result is n very brilliant
object in the water, calculated to at
tract any predacious creature with
fins. Another interesting continuance
is tor making frog-bait more seductive.
The jerking of tho line equipped with
this device causes the frogs legs to
move as if he were swimming.
Contrivances for catching insects
are more numerous than any others.
One Of them is furnace for Slaughter
ing potato bugs. To begin with. a
deep and wide furrow is to be plowed
all around n n infested field. Through
this trench n smooth log is dragged to
make the surface hard and smooth.
The bugs in migrating to other
grounds arc unable to scale the trench.
and the furnace, which is a cylinder of
iron filled with fuel, is drawn along
fho f,,p nd
odd devices are cartridges intended to
be inserted in the mouths of ant holes
and to be fired, thus communicating
sitting vapors to the subterranean
chambers; also many kinds of lamps
for attracting and burning up the
fields. There is n toy pistol for in
scots, which sucks them in when the
trigger is pulled.
An inge NOUS westerner has invented
n trap for catching the horn fly, which
is such an enemy to cattle in some
parts, of the country. 1t consists most
Importantly of a great frame to which
brush is attached in such manner
that when the beasts walk through,
cage: .s they always are to scratch
themselves, the flies will be scraped
from their bodies by the branches.
Finally the frame is closed up by
rncans of doors and the captured in
scots are destroyed.
Nearly everybody has heard of the
gold tapeyvorm trap, which the patient
swallows. Eedbug traps are of several
varie tics, all of them being intended
to afford attractive hiding-places for
those bloods,lclSers and to be burned or
scalded out afterward.
Mucl, ingenuity has been expended
in rat traps. Some of them are SO
elaborate that no full-witted rodent
would go near them. One requires Mr..
Rat to come in through a door, which
drops behind him and makes him n
prisoner. Seeing a bright light above
he ascends a fight of little steps and
trots across a small plank that is SO
nicely nd justed rs to balance that his
weight causes it to tip and throw him
into a tank of water. Another con-
trivance consists of a double chamber.
One chamber has a glass end. through
which Mr.. Rat sees two or three imi-
tatiou rats having q nice time with a
bit of cheese. Wishing to join them.
he runs around the box, gets into the
other churabcr and is caught.
There are a number of devices which
employ mirrors for the purpose of
Turing Mr.. Rat to his fate. He mounts
piece of cheese. AS he approaches it
he beholds another rodent-in reality
his own reflection in a piece of look
ing Glass-coming for TIE cheese from
the opposite direction. He makes a
dash to- get there first, and a pivoted
board drops him into the casl<, which