Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29

HOLD
lINTS

How long before brave Autumn with shout
Win succcr me and nut them all to rouit
OLIVER HEREFORD.
1t seems tough thing that at this sea-
son of iilimitable heat, when the strength
and spirits Of the most indomitable house
wife flag, that the various factions of the
insect world take 1t upon themselves to
wax particularly active and correspond
ingly obnoxious. Yet so It Is.
If they were open and above board in
their attacks and confined them entirely
take the meanest kind of advantage on
Brobdiuagian man, skulking in The most
inaccessible places. from whence they sally
forth at night armed cap-a-pie with man.
dibles and stings to wage war upon the
helpless sleeper or her most cherished
household gods
To Drive Out Bedbugs-This most dis
gushing Of human pc -asites is popularity
supposed to be the hallmark of the neglect
full and careless housekeeper; yet If the
truth be known few are the homes into
which II has not made its way no matter
how carefully guarded. This is particular
ly true In city blocks, where one careless
housekeeper may be the means of putting
whole block TO the most extraordinary
Inconvenience. The bugs are migra tory
climbing up wall from story to story,
dumb walters and down on the banisters
II the human inhabitants of an infested
house leave 1t those predatory bugs follow
suit, making their way into adjoining
houses. AS all are liable to this visitation,
and, by the way, library books are a ia
vOrtte mode OF transportation. it Is es-
sential to know what weapons are most
effectual for their rout Cracks and crew
ices, between the wall and the wood
work. are their favorite abiding places.
Hence the old English name 1.-The wall
louise" The old-fashioned heavy wooden
bedstead was ever favorable for the con-
cealment and propagation of the species;
but now that the more sanitary brass and
iron beds have superseded the wooden ones,
this nocturnal marauder leaves the bed at
the dawn of day to go into hiding under
loose wallpaper or behind wainscoting. If
you can locate his habitat, half the battle
is fought for the bug Is gregarious-col-
lecting in masses.
If there is paper on the walls tear 1t off.
SCald out all cracks, then seal with COM
mon soap or plaster of paris. For the
woodwork. holdings and furniture there is
nothing to equal kerosene. Apply with a
machine oil can to every crack and Granny.
Pour ii on the mattress and floor. The Oil
leaves no spot and the odor soon goes
away. If this treatment is repeated every
other day for week the rout is usually
complete, though eternal vigilance must be
maintained lest they come again.
COckroaches and Waterbugs.-In August
nings and the most constant and vigorous
attention Is required for their suppression
These are also lovers of darkness. hiding
through the day In tubs. behind the hot
water kitchen pipes, under the papers on
the pantry shelves. or wherever security
and partial darkness afforded. At
night they scurry out. The damage they
innict lies not only in the products actually
consumed, but in the soling and making
nauSeouS of everything with which they
10 large ppFkrDap
far worse in their depredatlons than the
NrotOn or waterbugs, even going to the
length Of eating valuable rugs and up
holsteries. cloth and leather binding of
books. shoes and woOlens. A sink left
greasy at night. cats plate with scraps
of food. a pantry harboring shreds and
patches of leftover dishes are all magnets
for the COckroach. No damp. greasy clean
..ng Of cloths or mops left to attract them;
no uncovered foods, damp tubs or nOisome
arDdge tins. Then, again, kerosene. Us
ny the oil can, spray literally behind the
pipes and wainscoting. taking pains to see
that there is no danger from fire. solu-
ton of strong potash N>poured into the
cracks and creviCes that they frequent is
also most efflCac!ous though II takes off
paint and varnsh Many good housekeep-
eTs now taboo papers on the pantry
shelves. thinking it gives the bugs one less
vantage point for hiding. If papers are
used it is well to sprinkle the shelves lib
orally with borax before covering.
screening and the close covering up OF pre-
served fruits, pickles and vinegars are the
approved weapons with which to combat
the aggravating little insects who are prone
to make sortie into stOrerooms and pam
tires as well as dining rooms where fruit
is kept exposed upon the sideboard. They
are particularly fond of blackberry and
raspberry vinegars and ripe peaches and
grapes. The putting Of pyretherum about
a store room to which they have gained en-
trance IS effectual for their clearance: but
the ounce OF prevention in keeping them
out In the first place is better than the
pound Of cure.
The Disease-SpreadIng Fly.-Because Of
his weli-known propensity to disseminate
disease the fly is to be rcligiously guarded
against. Typhoid. malaria. yellow fever
and other conta gious diseases follow in his
wake. and the place where he treads is
anything but holy ground Filth of al
most any sort is selected by the female
househy for her breeding place: the refuse
from horse stables being her first choice.
Cleanliness and screens are the best rem
pestiIentiai fellows have made their tri-
umphal entry good. strong bat made
by doubling up several Jhicknesses of
newspaper or q whiSk broom coupled with
much agility are successful in corraliug and
dispatching them, Window gardens of
geraniums and calceolarias are said 10 dis
courage fies from entering windows.
Remedies for Mosquito Bites-While
every one knows now that coal oil should
he sprayed on all stagnant water, including
the rain water barrel, and tin cans in the
ash heap, the mosquito is sim with us, the
proposition Of big marshes being too large
a one 10 settle without ala from the gov
eminent.
Among the discoursgers OF personal at
tCrtious are the Chinese joss sticks and
their aromatic smudge, a few drops of
lavender on pillow and head at night. eu-
Calyptol on the skin and n napkin saturated
with II placed on the pillow at night; cam
phorated vascline. camphOr oil of penny
royal rubbed on the hands and feet at night.
IL pTeventives fail, one of the best RENE
dies for bites IS simply a drop of g!ycerine
rubbed on the infected spot. Household
ammonia or lump of indigo rubbed on the
bite are also highly recommended.
The Plague Of Ants.-Ants are another
plague with which the long suffering house
wife is obliged to cope. So disastrous have
been their ravages in many cities OF late
years that professional ant killers have
arisen to take up the business of insect eX-
termination. Once a house is completely
overrun with the black ant colony II takes
anywhere from ten days to two weeks
steady work to drive them out. The black
ant thrives on cool damp weather punctu-
ated by days of fervent heat When they
come in colonies they not only destroy food,
but furniture. and the very house itself.
If the haunts OF the paving ant can be To-
Gated the first thing 10 do is to fill their