Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-19
KILLING HOUSE INSECTS.
Satisfactory Results Obtained From
Hydrocyanic Acid Gas.

THE house insect problem is much
more serious one in the southern climate
than in that of the north, yet most of
these insects occur in the northern states
as well as in the southern" remarked
DR.. Howard, chief of the division of en-
tomology of the Department of Agricul-
ture, to a Star representative
I'm the southern states, however, they
are apt to be more abundant Their oc-
currence in the north is due to the fact
that the houses are artificially heated in
the winter time, thus affording opportu-
nifty to breaed through the entire season.
House centipedes, cockroaches feas, ants
especially the little red fellows, book lice,
clothes moths. the black carpet beetle and
host of insects which affect stored prod
uots, and others found breeding in store
rooms and pantries which are careleSSly
kept by Indifferent housekeepers, comprise
the principal insects known as household
pests.
THE remedies applied in the past against
all these different insects have none of
them been thoroughly effective in the alb
Sence of constant watchfulneSS, perfect
cleanliness and the frequent upsetting of
the entire establishment and the conse
quent disturbance of family comforts in
the work of housekeeping. Even with
all this care and all this trouble certain,
insects continue to exist. Bedbugs, pene-
trating into the remOtest and most in
significant cracks in the walls, are in
houses in which they have become firmly
established, most difficult to exterminate
by any of the oldfashioned methods.
Cockroaches swarming in a house may be
enormously reduced in numbers by the
use of some of the best insect powders,
but their egg cases are not affected by
these remedies Fleas in damp summers
will persist in spite of the constant use of
insect powders, and even in spite of fire.
quent sprayings with benzine. Clothes
nd P,,f Fol hox,
long been terrors to good housekeepers
all over the country, although methods of
summer packing of garments and plaster
ing floor cracks and the laying down of
tarred paper under the carpets are known
to most people. In fact cold storage of
valuable furs and rugs has come to be
looked upon practically the only per-
feet way of avoiding damage from these
insects and the abolition of the carpet
habit has been recommended, and it meets
with my hearty approval the best way
to prevent the undue multiplication of
the so-called Buffalo moth.
Nearly twenty years ago it was discov
cred that hydrocyanic acid gas is an eff
fective remedy against certain insects, and
that it may be made cheaply and easily.
At first it was used in California to fu
migate orange trees affected with scale in
sects. This was done by placing a tent
over the tree and filling it with the gas.
Then the gas became useful to green
house men, it being found that plant lice
easily SuccumDeu 10 IT, Inc latest de-
velopment in the use of the gas and the
latest development in the warfare against
household insects is the use of the gas in
houses.
Experiments in the local laboratory of
the Department of Agriculture result in the
assurance that the dssolving of OIL gram
of pure cyanide of potassium per cubic
foot of space was perfectly satisfactory
against cockroaches and other insects.
Such an experiment was tried by allowing
the gas to remain in the house over night.
The following morning the gas had not
entirely escaped and the house flies cent?
pedes, cockroaches, spiders and mice were