The Glenwood post., 1911-06-24

against the housewife than an unpol-
ished dOorknOb in the parlor. Many
wives complain about the pests, won
dering where in the world they come
from, when the garbage pail is merrily
humming with them. Every dark cor
ner is fly incuba tor: flies are NOR
tally afraid of suds and sunshine
Otfal of all kinds is summons to hies
to come and make merry; open drains
and stable vaults are their rendezvous.
On farms all manure should be re.
moved or treated with chloride of lime
or crude oil. Screening the pit helps,
but is not always successful, for one
fly is apt to get in, and one fly means
battalion soon. In some cities it is
a misdemeanor to leave manure exposed
for more than a week. In the South
damp cellars are a sort of first aid to
flies; such places should be aired and
treated with sunshine and kerosene
The housewife should abhor filth and
dark corners, for wet, dark places are
their stamping grounds. while all vege
table matter is magnet for them.
What Can Be Done by the Housewife
Each housewife should constitute
herself a committee of one to fight
flies. A few minutes spent each day
at lessening their number will pay the
biggest dividends of any small job
around the house, as that not only gives
peace and comfort but also cuts down
doctor bills and lengthens life. Any
method that gets rid of one fly is
good; a method that gets rid of two
flies is better and son on. 'Flypaper is
good, but you have to wait until the
fly allows itself to be stuck, and some
flies are perverse about this. Poisoned
water helps, but often the flies seem
to be immune
Pyrethrum powder burnt in house
stupefies flies until they may be swept
up and destroyed A little of this burnt
in the morning in the rooms, which are
then aired, will make the house exempt
from flies all day. Twenty drops of
carbolic acid put on hot shovel or any
piece of iron creates a vapor that kills
flies, making simple and effective
remedy. The common mignonette plant
grown in jars and placed in a room
makes home life unpleasant to the
housefy, while Nature has given US
another simple remedy in the common
white clover. found in almost every
yard. Gather a handful in the morn
ing and place it in a vase and watch
the flies hunt the open; its odor is very
offensive to them. The clover should
be renewed every day or so, for when
dry it irritates the nostrils. A cheap
and effective poison not dangerous to
human life is bichromate of potash in
solution. One drachm in two ounces
of sweetened water and placed in shall
low dishes will dispose of many flies.
Another remedy which for all purposes
has no equal is solution of formalin
or formaldehyde in water. A spoonful
of this liquid in quarter of pint of
water left exposed in room will kill
all the flies in it. Flies are also ex,
ceedingly sensitive to light. By closing
all the blinds of the room except one
the flies will seek the open one, when
they can be easily driven out.
In the war against the housefy clean
illness is the heavy artillery, vigilance
the machine guns, and determination
the Mausers. If each home is made an
outpost on the firing line the most dan
gerous animal in the world-that kills
more human beings than all the beasts
Of prey and all the poisonous serpents
together-will take to its heels.