Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-07-05
llama inns" SUMMER TIPS
They Relate to MOsquitoes and the
Best Way OF Entertaining
W Theru.

'
little heed now to Uncle Jim wilson's
official thoughts on mosquito bftes and you
may save yourself many an Itch and
lot of unnecessary scratching in the imme-
date future. The secretary of agriculture
has just issued a bulletin teiliRg how not
only to doctor the bites, but explaining In
detail how to catch a mosquito on the bed
room ceiling at the very first jab.
Incredible as this latter statement may
seem even t. the best of bedroom aero
hats, Secretary Wilson certifies that It
has been done in several parts Of the
United States. The feat as accomplished
under Secretary Wilson's dicertions, is not
however entirely devoid Of excitement,
There is a chance Of dropping little kero-
sene oil into your upturned face.
"A homemade apparatus Is necessary
for this improved bedroom campaign
against the ''skeeter." AZ described in the
department bulletin 1t consists Of tin cup
or tin can cover nailed to the end OF long
stick in such a way that a spoonful OF
kerosene can be placed in the cup.
THE cup" says the bulletin, may then
by means OF the stick be pressed up to
the ceiling so as to enclose one mosquito
after another" 80
4 As soon as the mosquito perceiyee> that
he Is caught under the cup he BECOMES
'panicstfgeken and flies right dSwhg into
the Kerosene. 1t 10 an interesting psychic
logical fact that the human hand appa-
ratus has no such effect upon mosquitoes
of any variety, for there are many we'll
authenticated Instances where they have
been enclosed in the hand and instead Of
beating about fiadly. for an opening, have
lurked quietly in a finger crevice with
every evidence of self-possessiou and
sanity.
Secretary Wilson. however, has great
faith In the tin can merhod.
by it," he says. perhaps the majority
OF mosquitoes in given bedroom--cer-
tainly all OF those resting on the ceiling
can be caught before one goes TO bed" z
Some objections have been heard to this
method because OF its inexpertness, but
1t Is understood that none OF the fault
finders has yet tried the tin cup and kero-
sene method on sidewan or lace curtain
mosquitoes.
Secretary Wilson also suggested a mos
quito trap after a model Invented by II.
Maxwell Leroy OF Indiana. This trap 10
a foot long a foot wide and nine inches
deep, lined with dark green heize and
having a hinge door. A small hole to be
of wood or metal. is cut in the top Of the
box This trap is designed TO take adj
vantage OF the mosquitoes desire for nice
cool resting place after a hard nights
work. The agricultural bulletin tells how
to set this trap.
Owing to the habits Of mosquitoes" It
says, ITO seek cool shady place in which
10 rest, such as dark corner OF the room
or a bookshelf or something Of that sort.
they win enter the trap, which is put In
the part OF the room most frequented by
mosquitoes. all other dark places being rem
dered uninhabitable, as far as possible
They are driven out OF bookshelves with "a
buster or tobacco smoke and got into a de-
sirable sleeping place for the day. The
door Is then closed and fastened and into
the small hole at the top Of the box q
teaspoonful or less Of benzine Is then In
troduced. This kills the mosquitoes inside
and the box is thoroughly aired and re-
placed"
Secretary Wilson says Mr.. LEROY has
been very successful in catching mosquitoes
in this way. He has averaged as many as
eighty three day
DR.. L. o. Howard, the departments chief
entomologist. who prepared the pamphlet
for Secretary Wilson. says the best mix
ture he ever found to prevent mosquito
bites was made OF oil OF citronella, one
ounce; spirits OF camphor. one ounce, and
oil OF cedar half an ounce.
Ordinarily" says the official bulletin,
"a few drops on a bath towel hung over
the head of the bed win keep the common
house mosquitoes away, Whey they are
very abundant and persistent q few drops
rubbed on the face and hands will suffice.
The government officials acknowledge,
however. that even this mixture won't be
good for all night and that II you want a
real sleep YOU win have to get up and
dose yourself again just before dawn
New York Sun.