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the roaches to come out of the crevices about the chimney and fire 

 bricks in great numbers, and rapidly paralyzes or kills them, so that 

 they may be afterwards swept up and destro^'ed. This remedy will 

 only apply to old houses with large fireplaces, and has no special 

 significance for the modern hou-e. It is presented, however, as a 

 means applicable wherever conditions similar to those described 

 occur. 



Trapping. — Various forms of traps have been very successfully 

 employed in England and on the Continent of Europe as a means r 

 collecting and destroying roaches. These devices are all so con- 

 structed that the roaches may easily get into them and can not 

 afterwards escape. The destruction of the roaches is effected either 

 by the liquid into which the}^ fall or by dousing them with hot water- 

 A few of the common forms of traps and the methods of using them 

 are here described. 



A French trap consists of a box containing an attractive bait, the 

 cover of which is replaced by four glass plates inclined toward the 

 center. The roaches fall from the covering glasses into the box and 

 are unable to escape. A similar trap used in England is described 

 by Westwood. It consists of a small wooden box in which a circu- 

 lar hole is cut in the top and fitted with a glass ring, so that it is 

 impossible for the roaches to escape. This trap is baited nightly, 

 and the catch thrown each morning into boiling water. A simpler 

 form of trap, which Mr. F. C. Pratt informs the writer is very suc- 

 cessfully used in London, England, consists of any deep vessel or 

 jar, against which a number of sticks are placed, and bent over so 

 that they project into the interior of the vessel for a few inches. 

 The vessel is partially filled with stale beer or ale, a liquid for which 

 roaches seem to have a special fondness. In the morning these ves- 

 sels are found charged with great quantities of dead and dying 

 roaches, which have climbed up the inclined sticks and slipped off 

 into the vessel. We have had fair success with this last method 

 against the Oriental roach in Washington, but against the more 

 wary and active Croton bug it is comparatively worthless. 



Mr. Tepper, who has been quoted above in relation to the habits 

 of roaches in Australia, gives a simple remedy which he says has 

 proved very efficacious wherever emploj-ed. He mixes plaster of 

 Paris, one part, and flour, three or four parts, in a saucer, and places 

 it where the roaches abound, with another flat plate nearby contain- 

 ing pure water, both supplied with several bridges to give easy 

 access, and one or two thin boards floating on the water touching 

 the margin. The insects readily eat the mixture, become thirsty 

 and drink, when the plaster sets and clogs the intestines. The 

 insects disappear in a few weeks, the bodies no doubt being eaten by 

 the survivors. 



