Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-14
RESULT OF WET WEATHER
Advice Asked Of Government Ento-
mologists.
PESTS WILL GO AWAY IN TIME
Small Consolation for Householders
Who Are suffering-sug-
gested Remedies.

This is a flea year. and the flea. al many
persons are learning by experience, Is no
respecter of persons, In fact, there seems
to be more trouble Of the fee. variety in the
fashionable section Of the city than in any
other. Possibly this is because the more
fashionable section is pronest TO holier
when it is hurt. Possibly 1t is because 1t
has to be a bad flea year that will reach the
fashionable section. Anyhow, the ficas are
here and the fashionable creating how Is,
Good morning. have you used insect pow
der?"
Some of the reports from the northwest
section are doubtless exaggerations. The
story that there is Percneron breed OF
f1eas in town as big as draft horses is obvi-
ously fabrication. There are no authentic
accounts of any of the Insects bigger than
Shetland ponies. but some of the children
are reported to be Harvesting the common
variety to goat carriages, while the micro
scopic sort of flea. no bigger and with no
more legs than the average centipede Is too
common to be worth meat There has
not been q flea fanciers' club started yet,
but there Is room for 1t and there are sew
eral well-marked varieties reported. Fan
tail fleas are said to be among the rarcst
breeds but the pure white and the piebaid
specimens bring good price on the mar
ket, and there Is species OF web z oted
flea that thrives near Wa-sr courses that
may be domesticated If a bench show is
arranged.
The Department of Agriculture has re-
ceived numerous complaints as to the
fecunity Of the flea and appeals for
lotions and exterminaters. But the ento-
mologists smile blandly and say that the
plague will be worse before 1t Is better. and
that all the householder has to do is to
Keep cool and cheerful, and that with lit
tie scientific assistance the fieas will dis
appear by cold weather. This Is comfort
ing In a way; but the most householders
do not want to walt till cold weather.
Thrive in Damp Weather.
Some of the scientists of the bureau OF
entomology of the Agricultural Department
of fieas. said that 1t was only to be ex-
-pected in such a summer as that we have
been having. Fleas. they said, throve more
in damp weather than, in any other and
although too much moisture Is as fatal as
dryness, the present summer had been jusr
the sort to make flea year." They said
that while cats or dogs about house were
almost sure to bring the pest. there was
no safety in not having such pets. A cou-
pie OF healthy female fleas imported into
house would be enough to stock 1t in a fort
night, and after the first fortnight the leas
Increased in something more than geomet-
rical progression.
In fact in one case reported to The Star
a family was the fond possessor Of two pet
cats. There were some feas about the
house, but not more than the average
household could stand. An examination
was made of the cats, and after getting
something over 300 ffeas OF OF them both
were bahished. That was when the trouble
6v<NIr 1n,3 bat he
the cats to the human beings Of the family
Is a nice question that must be left to
science to settle. But as soon as the cats
vanished the f1eas that were left took to
they were putting in all their time hunting
the lost cats between the intervals OF
scratching and buying insecticides.
There have been two cases where families
have recently had to vacate their houses In
Washington and move into the country to
get rid Of the f1eaS
Now. as a matter of fact. this will not
clear the house by any means. Fleas pros
per more in a shut-up house than they do
elsewhere. The dog and cat flea breeds on
domestic animals, and the eggs hang on
the hairs. Whenever the animal lies down
the eggs shake off and especially In damp
weather, hatch merriIy on the floor. If the
house is shut up and not swept and aired
there Is more chance for the 6ealets to de-
veIop than II the house is open and occu-
pied.
suggested as Remedies.
1t Is suggested by the Department of
Agriculture that where there are pet dogs
and cats they be given a strip Of cloth or
carpet to sleep on, and that this be brushed
daily and the dust burned. It Is also recon-
mended that the animals be rubbed well
with insect powder and the stupefied feas
swept up and burned.
Some people are a good deal more senst-
tive to flea bites than others, and it is adj
vised where there is much trouble from
this to keep bottle of pure ammonia
handy and wet the bite with the raw fluid.
For cleaning out a house that has become
infested. house frequently. will II il Is
shut up for the summer, the best thing Is
to spray the floors and furniture literally
with benzine, though care should be taken
not to have any lights or fires about when
this Is done. as the benzine vaper will make
an explosive mixture little more deadly
than gunpowder If candle is brought into
the room with 1t.
The Department of Agriculture has been
experimenting extensively with the vapor
of hydrocyanic acid to kill fleas and rats
and reaches and in fact all manner of do
metic pests. The department has a full
bulletin on the subject, but as the acid Is
about the most deadly poison known and
there has to be a great deal of care exer-
cised In It's use The Star cannot go into de-
tail over this treatment, and any one who
wants to clear a house of any variety OF
Goldsmith's Animated Nature had better
call in an expert and take week in the
country IL he wants to use the hydrocyan1c
acid. treatment.