HERBS USED AS REPELLENTS 
Calamus. Sliced roots used in olden 
times to protect furs and woolens. 
Castor Beans. A plant in the garden is 
said to keep away grasshoppers. 
Catnip. Old-time farmers set plants 
about barns to repel rats. 
Costmary. Herb kept in linens for scent 
and as repellent. 
Elder Leaves. The fresh leaves made 
into strong decoction was rubbed on bed or 
furniture as protection from fleas. 
Feverfew. Fresh plant disliked by bees. 
Herbal Mixture. Make strong decoction 
of Rue, Wormwood and tobacco (equal 
parts) in water. Sprinkle or spray leaves 
and young branches of. fruit trees every 
morning and evening during the time the 
fruit is ripening. This will keep off cater- 
pillars and chewing insects. 
Khus Khus. Fragrant dried roots used 
to protect rooms of houses in Caribbean 
against roaches. 
Lavender Flowers. Used to preserve 
linens and give them fresh, clean odor. 
Mugwort. Dried herb used to repel 
moths. 
Parsley. Plants grown around rose 
bushes to keep away rose beetles. 
Pennyroyal. Fresh leaves tied up in a 
bag or a few drops of oil were kept in 
bed as protection from fleas. 
Pyrethrum, powder. Used in sprays to 
kill many types of insects. 
Quassia Chips. Half pint of boiling 
water poured upon a quarter ounce of 
quassia chips and sweetened with sugar 
will destroy flies. Harmless to children 
and pets. 
Rosemary. Fresh leaves were much 
used in Old Europe to repel insects. 
Rue. The Schola Salernitana, compiled 
some 800 years ago states: “Rue putteth 
flies to flight.”’ 
Santolina, Moth repellent of Colonial 
days. 
Sassafras. A handful or two of Sassa- 
fras bark was mixed with each bushel of 
dried fruits to keep out insects as well as 
add to flavor of fruit. 
Smartweed. Fresh herb, thoroughly 
bruised and rubbed on legs, neck and ears 
of horses to keep away flies. A few 
bruised branches’in dog’s bed is said also 
to be effective against fleas. 
Tansy. This herb was grown around 
peach trees in old time gardens aS means 
of preserving trees from insects. Meats 
were wrapped with Tansy leaves in Mid- 
dle Ages to protect from flies. 
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