New-York tribune., 1909-05-15
TO CONTROL INSECTS
PSYCHOLOGISTS VIEWS.
House5ciUes May Cherish Bullet"
Nert to Cook Book.
TBy Telegraph 20 The Tribune,I

ALBANY Nav l4-From the state Education De-
partment there has just come a bulletin OF such
wide scope and general application that its spon-
sors indicate their belief that it should find place
in every well regulated household between the
family photograph album and the dictionary. 1t
is entitled Control OF Household Insects was
written by Ephraim Porter Felt, state entohoIo-
gist and treats of the subugation of the mouse ny
the festive flea the bothersome bedbug, the cock
roach and his smaller cousin, the Croton pug
house centipedes. booklice ants bihulous cr1ckets
and numerous other household attaches not COM
monty classed as pets.
The bulletin is mine OF information whose
wealth renders difficult any choice of nuggets
But surely each housewife will desire TO possess
copy TO con carefully and treasure next to her
cook book. and the state museum will he eiad 10
spread abroad its tidngs on application therefor
To take up a general subject first, funlgatloh OF
infested premises with hydrocyanic acid gas Is
recommended highly. though of course every pre-
should be taken to avoid an accident since
a slight mistake might result in one or more
fatalities Therefore, IL control of the invading
forces be imperative and hydrocyanic acid gas be
procurabe "an fluids especially liquid or moist
foods, should be removed from the house. Win
dovrs and doors should be sealed tightly and all
other leaks stopped. Moreover, neighbors should be
requested to take weeks vacation. so that the
rooms next TO the treated building will be kept well
aired during the fumgation." The effectiveness OF
this method Of control Is shown by the 'deStrucuon
of sparrows resting upon the caves of a ouldlng
during 1un1lgauOn AlSo' Itle CoiCluI li'u9Ni0i-0'
will take care not to 'fumigate building or
room alone because an accident under such con-
ditions is likely TO result fatally" preteranle
plan in congested neghborhoods. II seems evil
dent would he TO hold fumigatng bees similar
10 the harvesting bees and house raising bees Oh
earlier periods in the countrys history
DANGEROUS TO CHILDREN.
This method Of treatment is declared to give sure
control over little red ants and big black ants But
if a somewhat gentler method of control be de-
sired the entomologist recommends spr1nkHng cy-
anide of potassium carelessly around the nests
Under the circumstances it might be well Tor IN
quisitive children, prying dogs and other impedl-
menta to be placed under restraint
''One need not &C back decade to note a marked
change in sentiment toward certain insects COM
monty found in homes remarks the bulletin 1t
opines also. that there is no denying the beneh-
cial influence OF a pleasant home Hence the
necessity under modern enlightened sentiment. for
the control of insects Calculations
show that under favorable conditions the de-
scendants from one fly might at the end Of a sea
son reach the stupendous number Of over 1870 gum
tion." So check this tendency toward undue
multiplication butcher carts. grocery wagons ana
electric or steam carrying more or less eX-
posed meat and other supplies attra active to files
should be frowned on, and the public should es-
chew provision stores, restaurants and hotels
overrun by flies" Yet the bulletin is somewhat
pessinistic after all. Some flies very likely to
exist in a neighborhood after the adoption of
rigid precautions. So that housewife who
surreptitiously Shoes ny off the butter at break
may feel not too greatly disgraCed at failure
to exterminate the breed. But the fly is no more
persistent than the maarial mosquito. for among
other pleasant habits that blithesome creature
haunts mankind. so the capture of specimens on
snowbanks in early spring is not unusual" Wasps
and hornets may be controlled" by the use Of
screens. but If excessively abundant the nests
should he found and the inmates destroyed at
night with chloroform hisulphide Of carbon a
wise Controller" course. will be to take
tally OF all the inmates" before beginning the
work of destruction. because one hornet outside
might make chloroform necessary for the de
stroyer.'