138 



THE AGRICULTtTRAL NEWS 



^rA^ i, 1918. 



INSECT NOTES. 



FLEAS AND THEIR CONTROL. 



{Co^h/udeif.) 



There are certain general principles in the control of 

 fleap which can be applied to nearly all species, with certain 

 modifications for the different species and for the different 

 conditions under which they live. It was pointed out in the last 

 number of the Agriciiltiii-al \i)i's that the cat and dog tieas 

 and the human flea are the most important species invading 

 Louses. It was also noted that the adult fleas feed more or 

 less on cats and dogs, while the younger stages develop in 

 the cracks of floors and beneath houses. 



Two main measures of control are therefore required to 

 keep down fleas in houses: first, the destruction on the hosts 

 of the adult fleas which lay the eggs: and secondly, the 

 cleaning up of the immature stages which develop in or 

 under houses. 



now TO KILL FLEAS ON CATS AND DOU.s. 



For killing fleas on cats and dogs the writer* recom- 

 mends giving the animals a thorough washing in a tub con- 

 taining one of the so-called 'stock dips'. This is usually 

 a saponified coal tar creosote preparation, and should be used 

 in the proper proportions. The animal should be scrubbed 

 thoroughly, special attention being paid to the head whither 

 many of the fleas rush to avoid the bath. With dogs the 

 solution may be allowed to dry on the animal, but in the 

 case of cats, especially if lender-skinned, the preparation 

 should be washed out of the fur soon after the animal is 

 removed from the bath. 



An alternative bath of kerosene emulsion may be u.sed 

 in the following proportions: dissolve 2 oz. of washing 

 soap in 1 cjuart of hot water, and when boiling remove from 

 fire and add 2^ pints of kerosene. This mixture must be 

 beaten up thoroughly, until a creaming mass is formed in 

 which there is no free oil. Then add water to make 5 gallons. 

 It is important that no kerosene should .separate, since free 

 oil is injurious to animals, 



Cats and dogs may also be rid of fleas by treating them 

 with powdered naphthalene, or with jtyrethrum powder. 

 F^itlier of these can be carefully rubbed into the hair of the 

 animal. Koth of these materials stupefy the tleas, and make 

 them come to the surface or drop out entirely. This treat- 

 ment can be given on papers spread on the flour, and the 

 naphthalene can thus be recovered and used again. 



It is important to note that the skin of cats is much 

 more su.sceptible to injury by chemicals than that of dogs; 

 hence any |>reparation used should be weaker when used on 

 cats than on dogs. 



lliiW 1(1 IlKslKOY H,K.\^ IN I.M.M \Tri;i: STAIIKS. 



In addition to ridding infested animals of adult Heas 

 it is essential to destroy the younger stages whiih are 

 constantly developing to the adult stage, and reinfesting 

 animals and annoying man. The brweding of the immature 

 stages usually takes place in the cracks of floors or under 



♦F. C. liisliopp. Fiirmtra' Biillelin >'<f'7, r.!S. Department 

 i.f A'.irii-Mlture. 



carpets I'T matting, or in rooms which are not swept fre<juently,. 

 and which may be visited by cats or dogs. 



It is recommended that the carpets and rugs be removed, 

 the floors thoroughly swept, and all the dust be burned, as 

 this will contain the younger stages of (leas. Then the floor . 

 should be thoroughly scrubbed with strong soap suds. The 

 floor coverings should be properly aired and beaten before 

 being replaced. Powdered alum can be sprinkled about, 

 or papers dipped in an alum .solution can be placed under 

 the rugs. 



Another method of destroying fleas in honses is to 

 scatter 5 ft), of naphthalene flakes over the floor, and close 

 all doors and windows for twenty-four hours. The naphthalene 

 can be swept from room .to room. In e.vtreme cases 

 fumigation with .sulphur fumes or with hydrocyanic acid gas 

 is sometimes employed. If sulphur is used, it is necessary 

 to remove metal objects and potte<l plants, as the gas given 

 off by the burning sulphur corrodes metals and injures plants. 

 Hydrocyanic acid gas should only be u.sed under competent, 

 direction, as this gas is highly dangerous. 



It sometimes happens that fleas breed beneath or around 

 houses, which are thus constantly reinfested from outside. In 

 cases of this sort it is necessary to clean up all the refust- and 

 burn it. Then common salt should be sprinkled about freely 

 and thoroughly soaked. Additional wettings should be giveui 

 at intervals, if necessary. 



Various substances are used as repellents for keeping 

 fleas away from bedding, but these are only temporary meas- 

 ures. The most ett'ective way of keeping fleas in check 

 is to destroy the immature stages in their breading places, 

 and the adult fleas on their host animals, as described above 

 Mention may be made here of the control of the sticktight 

 or chicken flea, which also sometimes infests cats and do^s. 

 All animals, and poultry as well, should be prevented from, 

 resting beneath houses or barns, as fleas breed favourably in 

 such places, and these are difficult to treat if they become 

 infested. Chicken houses and places frequented by poultry 

 .should be thoroughly cleaned, and the breading places of fleas 

 should be sprinkled with crude oil. or salt should be scattered 

 about and then wet thoroughly. Fowls should not be allowed 

 to eat the salt as it is poisonous to them. 



It is not an easy matter to destroy the sticktight flea on 

 fowls without injuring the bird, but in the case of heavy 

 infestations, the dusters of fleas about the head can be treated- 

 with carbolated vaseline or with a mixture of kerosene an^ 

 lard— 1 part of kerosene to 2 parts lard. Cats and dogs can. 

 be treated in the manner described above for ordinary 

 fleas. Rats are sometimes infested w'ith tlie chicken flea 

 and the control of these animals will also help to keep down 

 this flea- 

 Flea bites can be treated with such substances as 

 menthol, camphor, or carbolated vaseline, which will serve 

 to relieve the irritation. A .'?-per cent, solution of carbolic 

 acid in water is also beneficial. 



J.C.H. 



The original form of banana must have been of little 

 value as a fruit, judging from the present wild species. It 

 has been therefor? concluded that it was first used by 

 mankind as a root crop, the roots even yet being used as an 

 article of fond by the natives of some tropical regions, while 

 the tender heart of the stem is used for the same purpose in 

 Abyssinia to-day. ('■'nder cultivation the banana probably 

 began t" produce better fruits, and such varieties were 

 probably selected as desirable for reproduction. (The foiiriial 

 of Hacdity, \'ol. V, p. 273.) 



