TROUBLESOME INSECTS. 13 1 



supplies them with nourishment — sucking blood enough 

 for herself and them. 



Fortunately for mankind, human fleas are not very 

 abundant except on the seashore during the hottest part 

 of the summer, where their presence is largely due to the 

 bathers, who of course are their easiest victims, while at 

 inland places the most of the bites can safely be laid at 

 the doors of dog fleas. And wherever there is a dog this 

 species is likely to have representatives, and a goodly num- 

 ber always during the summer season. 



But there are measures which will do much in the way 

 of prevention, and one is to bed down the dogs with pine 

 shavings and place about in the same a goodly number 

 of carbolic "disinfecting balls," which so many house- 

 keepers employ to keep moths out of clothing. Another 

 quite potent measure is the use of the oils of turpentine 

 and kerosene, the same being freely sprinkled over the 

 bedding and woodwork of the kennel. 



Still another means which is sometimes resorted to by 

 breeders is the free use of air-slacked lime in the kennel 

 yard, it being scattered about upon the ground during or 

 after a rain-fall. And this is certainly a commendable 

 custom, for the lime is destructive to the ova or eggs of 

 insects and parasites ; yet it will not retain this effect in 

 considerable degree if too long exposed to the air before it 

 is used. 



But the most potent preventive measure is cleanliness. 

 In fact owners and caretakers are responsible for fleas, 

 and if a kennel is kept clean, whitewashed often, and the 

 dogs are well groomed once a day and washed occasionally 

 with the soft soap recommended in part devoted to " Ex- 

 hibiting Dogs " these troublesome insects will but rarely 

 intrude, and certainly not remain long when they do so. 



Of the various agents that have been recommended 



