3S 2 



HOUSEHOLD PESTS. 



through the hole, to feed upon the sweet 

 beneath. Meanwhile the warmth of the 

 weather causes the soapy water to fer- 

 ment, and produces a gas which over- 

 powers the flies, and they drop down into 

 the vessel. Thousands may be destroyed 

 this way, and the traps last a long time. 



PLY PAPER.— Melt resin, and add 

 thereto while soft sufficient sweet oil, lard, 

 or lamp oil to make it, when cold, about 

 the consistency of honey. Spread on 

 writing paper, and place in a convenient 

 spot. It will soon be filled with ants, 

 flies, and other vermin. 



INSECTS, Expelling Them.— All in- 

 sects dread pennyroyal ; the smell of it 

 destroys some, and drives others away. 

 At the time that fresh pennyroyal cannot 

 be gathered, get oil of pennyroyal ; pour 

 some into a saucer, and steep in it small 

 pieces of wadding or raw cotton, and 

 place them in corners, closet-shelves, 

 bureau drawers, boxes, etc., and the cock- 

 roaches, ants, or other insects will soon 

 disappear. It is also well to place some 

 between the mattresses, and around the 

 bed. It is also a splendid thing for 

 brushing off that terrible little insect, the 

 seed tick. 



MICE, To Destroy.— i. Use tartar 

 emetic mingled with some favorite food. 

 The mice will leave the premises. 



2. Take one part calomel, five parts of 

 wheat flour, one part sugar, and one-tenth 

 of a part of ultramarine. Mix together 

 in a fine powder and place it in a dish. 

 This is a most efficient poison for mice. 



3. Any one desirous of keeping seeds 

 from the depredations of mice can do so 

 by mixing pieces of camphor gum in with 

 the seeds. Camphor placed in drawers 

 or trunks will prevent mice from doing 

 them injury. The little animal objects 

 to the odor and keeps a good distance 

 from it He will seek food elsewhere. 



4. Gather all kinds of mint and scat- 

 ter about your shelves, and they will 

 forsake the premises. 



MOSQUITOES, To Drive Away.— 1. A 

 camphor bag hung up in an open case- 

 ment will prove an effectual barrier to 

 their entrance. Camphorated spirits ap- 

 plied as perfume to the face and hands 

 will prove an effectual preventive; but 

 when bitten by them, aromatic vinegar is 

 the best antidote. 



2. A small amount of oil of penny- 



royal sprinkled around the room will 

 drive away the mosquitoes. This is an 

 excellent recipe. 



3. Take of gum camphor a piece about 

 half the size of an egg, and evaporate it 

 by placing it in a tin vessel and holding 

 it over a lamp or candle, taking care that 

 it does not ignite. The smoke will soon 

 fill the room and expel the mosquitoes. 



MOTHS, To Preserve Clothing from.— 

 1. Procure shavings of cedar wood and 

 enclose in muslin bags, which should be 

 distributed freely among clothes. 2. Pro- 

 cure shavings of camphor wood, and 

 enclose in bags. 3. Sprinkle pimento 

 (allspice) berries among the clothes. 4. 

 Sprinkle the clothes with the seeds of the 

 musk plant. 5. An ounce of gum cam- 

 phor and one of the powdered shell of 

 red pepper are macerated in 8 ounces of 

 strong alcohol for several days, then 

 strained. With this tincture the furs or 

 cloths are sprinkled over, and rolled up 

 in sheets. 6. Carefully shake and brush 

 woollens early in the spring, so as to be 

 certain that no eggs are in them; then 

 sew them up in cotton or linen wrappers, 

 putting a piece of camphor gum, tied up 

 in a bit of muslin, into each bundle, or 

 into the chests and closets where the 

 articles are to lie. No moth will appxoah 

 while the smell of the camphor continues. 

 When the gum is evaporated, it must be 

 renewed. Enclose them in a moth-proof 

 box with camphor, no matter whether 

 made of white paper or white pine, before 

 any eggs are laid on them by early spring 

 moths. The notion of having a trunk 

 made of some particular kind of wood 

 for this purpose, is nonsense. Furs or 

 woollens, put away in spring time, before 

 moth eggs are laid, into boxes, trunks, 

 drawers, or closets even, where moths 

 cannot enter, will be safe from the rav- 

 ages of mothworms, provided none were 

 in them that were laid late in the autumn, 

 for they are not of spontaneous produc- 

 tion. 



MOTHS IN CARPETS, To Kill- 

 Wring a coarse crash towel out of clear 

 water, spread it smoothly on the carpet, 

 iron it dry with a good hot iron, repeat- 

 ing the operation on all parts of the 

 carpet suspected of being infected with 

 moths. No need to press hard, and 

 neither the pile nor color of the carpet 



