New-York tribune., 1897-10-12
80 80 7OVSEHOLD
IS, Il TALKS
HOW TO EXTERMINATE FLEAs.

There arc Jew OF the many household pests that
may become s. great n nutsaTc" az the common
flea In Italy and southern EuTope this insect
IS always abundant. and # would be dalcul'. z
no. Impossible 20 oxtcrmlnaie II there. In this
country the flea may be readily annihilated II
energetic methods are used. Il Is desirable that
every hOusckeeper should know somofnng about
the habits Of all domestic pests.
The rea laws from four 20 six round sticky eggs.
These eggs can 10 easily seen with the naked eye,
but are usually concealed ~ tho dus; on the floor.
around nails IN crcyces or In tho carpet III about
six davs these eggs hatch ont into wo-nike ltryse
and IN eleven days more the larvn develop them
selves into thin cocoons, which are easily con-
cealed In the wool OF tho carpet or in the dust
After living eleven days IN a cocoon state the
perfect Aea emerGes This insect appears In spring
In some abundance IN the places where It, eggs
have been lai in the previous autumn. AMI II
continues 10 Increase until cold weather # 1t is
no. cY. .rrnin1ted promptly.
Like the mosquito. the female flea - the ag-
grcssor The maie does no; seem 10 he parasite.
The female flea s not only possessed Of the desire
FOR sorgIng Itself on human blood. but IT has t.
power when nleI, OF emptying itsch, AMI THIS
II does IL there IS fresh supply on hand Ii!-
accounts for ;he Spots Of blood found on clothing
ma bedding infested With The puiex ifritans or
common nea. The scaiy. slippery coat Of mail
that the fea enables II 10 escape easily, ana
explains the difficulty Of securing H.
Fleas ara nos, llke Other vcrmn. a'ways de-
pcndon; upor uncicInly hab.s. though strict clean
ilnrss 3 always an efficient Way 10 hr"i u ui'h'
providing The proper means for th"r eNirrmna'i ION
is also cmp0s ed. Domestic animals some tlinrs IN
troduce ncas irto clean houses. II carpets are
frc1ucn'ly tak,a up, ana swcpi regularly whrn
down. il-ds exist In anF great quantity.
Ju,y ar. hatciied ana I've for IN" nrst twenty
Two ddys of their "4lst"Nce in tn" duSt oi INC
floor and II this dust j. carefully gathered up
and burned The iarvT and COcoonS OF many IHtrlr
insects AZ" destroyed. II room has been thor
ouyhv infested the most effective remedy IL iumi-
gallon win sulphur This bleaches color. and.
therefore is desrurtiv" 20 carpets and hang
inss and all stuff about room Ih"', goods should
be cleaned with naphtha and hung where III" sin
and air reach Them.
tlcas sometimes infes; blankets. Ia hat case
rumigat!OI and thorough washing Is rcconm"nd,d
blankets ana articles that Will not fade may h"
EFFECTIVELY cleaned by dipping them In q weak 20
hfIon OF clrbolic acid and w"tor. ana then WISH
ing them. Half pint OF liquid carboc acid 10 three
quarts Of warm water Il the proper strength TO use
Tor th. purpose II floors ar" thoroughly disn-
fecied b, washing with this preparation OF diluted
cnrI olic acid first CLEANING cut All the cracks OF
the floor with a brush and soap and water. II
NAV not be necessary 10 !umigate the room. as
the fea remains near the floor
Fortunatelv few houses In this part o. the world
become so thoroughly infested WIKI the puex rri-
tans as to require 10 he treated brt We have
known large houses 10 become so filed with neas
that they were only cleaned after the most eff
Client means were employed Valuable houses have
sometimes been disposed OF because they had be-
come uninhabitable from this source.