SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1925.
THE CHINA MAIL.
INSECT PESTS
THAT TROUBLE THE HOUSEWIFE
The Cotton Boll-Weevil Attacks Her Purse, While Other Kinds of Bugs Do Their Utmost To Interfere With Her Enjoyment of Life,
[By RENE BACHER
ah s cil
The Ranch,
I disesse gams be excepted. thers, "dilymfkh"; centipedes and most formal remis with which nan has to contend are inerts. Agamst them he has been obliged to maintain La fight-nevir ending, and never Bely
trl-sinec first be unlik -tackle the problem of existence on the Earth.
:
spilers,
The average housewife will faty deny that there use any recebes on her premises; and, unless, she happens to be her own cinsk and maidservant He
hares are that she believes what she say: But the Järn on a light sud- deals in her kitchen at hight, mul she will the horrid insets scurrying in all directions tarbide.
they they carry foul- When er' Resenting from their maths a fluid that has a fed naasmus odor, which can be remqrest from shelves
By far the worst engiamin, fue is the hell-way-wil, which text ways a billi alf jourds of our cotton every year e-farts of why ought to be the total entron to the nitel Mates. Think what that meets Patton clothes the world. Four-fifths of all the cotton kdown is prodared in this country. Such #restuction" que abmal i pitasud, dishes without washing with sony to the price of every shirt, of grey atal hoeling water. They may even undergarment, of my "hijsheet and gade the family ici-box, pelluting the pillowcase of every inanufactured food in engin artiels for which cutton is veel as raw materini.
Lous diver & Biring Annually, Fists of mumerous speeles,, other Man the boll-wervi, do at least a billion dollars worthy of damage to traps in this county annually, thereby much in reasing the cost of early everything We eat It nbigge tax, passed along to the ultimate eciwumer. But, quite naturally, the average citizen who is not farmer is persinatly most inter- wwert in the objectionable bugs that intrun upon his individual environment. This applies particularly to insets of the househole, against which the house- wife wages an incessant war. Clothes moths for instance; aches and ants; bobage and leas; carpet beetles and
}
* I』
Vet the cure for the mischief ideasy. Lat the housewife hoy at the drugstore la couple of pounds of Boarke of silium
'chgag chemical that cars in the foam white powder-dini distribute it with dexter ant the pres which the roetes niost frequbit. A clond of it may thus be made in settle in every rack it eramies aboat the kitchen sik. around pipe-holes, and behind -pantry shelves. Allow the powder to remin anglistarhed for ten days, and At the end of that time there will be no roaches "left alive.
They do not eat the stuff; it does not attract them, and it'shes nut drive them away.
is poisonous and easily mistaken for baking powder.
How The Clothes Moth Chews, Against clothes-moths women have through long experience learned how to defend themselves fairly well. But afas, that it must be said-their-faith in the well eclar chest is by no means wholly justified. The Bureau of Entontology, after my experimental tests, has found that moth worms, if they happen to be invalued into such a chest, will do as much damage es anywhere else; the extar data not "room Le bather them at all. The winged maths, similarly imprisoned, will lives and lay eggs-though the worms hatch- ed from these eggs die..
The tight construction of the cedar chest is largely accountable for the virtue claimed in its behalf. If it be kept closed, moths cannot get into it- which is by no means the case with the Average hox or trunk. A chest of pine "or any other wood is just as good for the purpose. if well made, and if a pound or so of naphthalene be senttered inside of it.
The chewing apparatus of a moth But contact with the smallest
form is like a pute of miniature safety- particle of it kill them. All of the pawder purchased should be used as it I razor blades--one blade in eneh jaw and
BOLL
the two worked saw-fashion to and fro., By this means the larva reduces woollen material to minute particles, which it swallows. It eats six times its own weight every twenty-four hours.
To grow and maintain its health, a muth worm must have repose and dark- ness. If disturbed, it cannot develop. Hence the importance of brushing and sunning garments before they are
I properly wrapped in news- away. papers or other paper, mother cannot possibly get at them to lay their eggs. in a trunk or box, naphthalene helps. and is better, even than camphor..
The Flea Nuisance. Often, it happens that a agily, re- turning "home to an empty house or apartment, after a summer's vacation, finds the place Bterally alive with fleas. They are eat-and-dog fleas, but, being exceedingly hungry, they at once uttack the folks in mumbers, biting viciously. The situation, for the time being, muy be rather serious. The thing to do is to remove all four coverings, scrub the doors with hot soap-suds," and sentter pyrethram powder about liberally. If The family dog has gone back with the Colks, he will soon collect most of the teas, and he can be relieved of them
CYANIDA POTATE
SIX.
FOR
BEDBUG
by taking him outdoors and tabbing him thoroughly with pyrethrum, then they wit: fall off.
The Bureau of Entomology hun listed one hundred and thirty species' of Beas, but the eat-and-deg variety-which rarely attacks man if a dog or a cat be around-by far the most numerous and most widely distributed. Contrary to the popular impression, the eggs, are laid by the insect between the hairs of the cat or dog, are not hatched on the animal, but fall off, Carpets and straw matting help the brooding of eas; if disturbed with a broom they will not develop.
The Bed Bug.
Most dreaded of all the housewife's enemies is that polgent among insects, the bedbug. She is never entirely safe from its, intrusions. It is undoubtedly vonamous, and its peculiar and offensive "buggy" odour is due to an uily, volatile fluid which it secreles. There is no question of the fact that it is a carrier of relapsing fever, and it is more than suspected of responsibility for the sprending "of many an epidemic of smallpox in cheap lodging houses.
When blood is not to be had, the bed- bug can get along without it for a long
ELLO
7
of a floor-crack and cutting a long aft also woollon fabrics. The remedy is a thorough beating of floor-coverings and. cleaning of the premises,
Of all pests of the household the hardest to get rid are Bate-parti-: cularly the little red nnt,.or "pharaoh's. ant," which is of Old World origin. The common little black ant is a lawn or meadow species, and, when it gains access to dwellings, may in many exsƏS be eliminated by tracing it back to the? outdoor colony and destroying the latter", with boiling water.
All of our house ants are of tropical, origin, and mest of them are immigrants frim Europe. They are objectionabis chiefly because of their habit of getting. into food. When an ant has gained access to sugar, enke, or anything else that is appetizing, the discovery in at once reported to the colony, and in a remarkably short time there is a multi- ude engaged in an organized raid. The only way to deal with ints is to hunt- up their domiciliary headquarters' and there wipe them out.
House spiders are harmales, save, for the webs they spin;, they are even beneficial, Inasmuch as they entch flies. They do not attack human beings, and, though people are commbaly accustomed. to attribute any mysterious bite to a spider, there is no ground for suchon notion,
Home-Bred Mosquitoes.
time, subsisting on an emergency diet of decayed wood and dust in floor cracks. It seems to be very intelligent. commonly forsaking a bed in the day- time to hide in safer places. But no pestiferoun insect is easier to get rid 6f All that is necessary is to clean the floor and furniture with kercsone Or gasoline, making sure that cracks behind washboards receive due trest- ment, and that there are no places avai-exclude in paint well worth the able for hiding behind loose wallpaper.householder's attention.
Bite 'Caunes Severe Pain, Somewhat of a terrar is the house centipede. It is not really a centipede, but properly called a myriapod., The Bureau of Entomology suggests that in the cellar or elsewhere. The nests, you look for their nests in moist places. once faund, are easily destroyed.
Another
vers curious household insect is the familiar silverfish," which
and glistening body, clad in scales so gets its name from its ash-like shape smooth that the creature is hard to catch, slipping readily from between the fingers. Shonning light, it runs 14 Is hide with amazing swiftness. favourite provender is ature, and it does much damage to fabrics and books, gnawing the bindings of the latter.. It will eat any starched clothing, linen, or curtains, and will even cause wall-paper to drop off by feeding on the pastu.
Tu abolish this pest is not at all difi cult. If a little arsenic be mixed with thick boiled starch paste, scraps of curil- buard sprend with it and allowed to, dry may be judiciously slipped into crevices in bookshelves, behind mantels, under washboards, and in the bottom of drawers. There will soon be no more silverfishes on the premises.
Ants And
Carpet Beetles.
The carpet beetle, whose offspring is the "buffalo bug," is an immigrant from Europe. The larva is an active little grab, clothed with stiff brown_haire. It eats carpets, often following the line
There is one species of mosquito-3 which may properly be called a house-
hol insect, inasinuch it is man's inséparable companion, and a haunter of hix dwellings. It is the common ruin barrel skeet, laying its eggs in the forme of a raft on the surfngg of any water it may find in a pail, ùn old tin can, 24 newer-trup. or other receptacle Beckase of its small size, ruoat window screen nf of too large a mesh to
But it is of: much greater importance to see that not container of standing water is allowed to remain in the near neighbourhond of a house during the summer months." A half-filled bucket in the back yard will yield a continuous crop of several
The Fly. hundred mosquitoes daily,
Flies are at once the most annoying and the most dangerous of all house pust. They are attracted into houses by the smell of cooking food Filth burn and frequenters of fifth, they bring to our kitchens and our tables germs of. typhoid and other intestinal complaints," Swatting is of little avail so long a maintenance is permitted of incubators. unclean stables-for the breeding of antold myriads of the abominablo insects. The mischief could soon and easily be abolished by the enforcement of municipal regulations requiring the weekly collection und removal of all horse manure.
In conclusion it may be worth while to speak of an insect of new notoriety which, though not a household peas, serious affliction to householders in some parts of the is already becoming country, especially in southern Cali fornia and Texas. Known as the "short- cirelt beetle," or "hello bug," it bores: tiny holes in telephone cables. Through the holes rain-water seeps, finding its way into the canal that contains the wires, and thereby short-circuiting "the electric current By this means a singlet boring may put hundreds of telephones out of commission.
WORLD
THEATRE
STARTING TO-MORROW, 6 & 9,15
THE GREATEST EUROPEAN SCREEN STAR
ASTA MIELSEN
it
in
"THE GOLDEN KEY'
Splendid in its photography, perfect in its direction. powerfully appealing as to story, this photoplay represents the greatest work of a célebrated star supported by an excep- tionally brilliant cast.
TO-DAY
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THE GREATEST SCREEN TRIUMPH GOLDWYN presents KING, VIDOR'S production
THREE WISE FOOLS"
Adapted from John Golden's Famous Broadway stage success.
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SCREENLAND.
* OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.“
The unexpected. is always taking place in the screen world as well
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The film version of "Our Mutual Friend is one of the pictures that shouli, by right of its artistic and entertaining qualities, prove one of the biggest screen attrac- tions of this season.
Better than A Tale of Two Cities this Dickens' story has
"THE GOLDEN KEY."
There are many, things" that money can buy, and Happiness is This is the not among them. irresistible conclusion that one is forced to, after seeing that stir- ring. photoplay of modern life "The Golden Key" with Asta Mielsen in the leading role.
In this realistic picturé adapted for the screen from the celebrated novel by George Froschel, « the
the most absorbing plot of any of famous star brings out
the English writer's works. It | Intent histrionic
"
screen.
her
powers, in which
Asta Nielsen as Mary Verhag portrays the character of a young chorus girl, whose humble life, makes her to dream of the day when she will be able to parade in the most expensive. shops and choose whatever her heart, desires,
is a mystery story and has all she has few superiors on the elements of a corking good melo-" drama. The atmosphere in the picture is wonderfully true, and the quaint scenes and characters | of over half a centory go make
splendid entertainment,
The fact that the picture was produced in England and the cast filled by English alors accounts of course for its real Dickens flavour. Charles Dickens helped to dramatize his novels and was himself an excellent actor and stage director. His plays were originally rehearsed under his supervision and the Dickens tradition has been kept alive in England by the actors and stage manager who were taught the business and characterization of the plays thirty years or 80 ago when the English writer's dramas were frequently produced.
In her
By chance she attains her fond dream. Jewellery, furs, robes and extravagances are hers, but: all things are limited in this life, and Mary finds to her sorrow, the money is among them. insatiable desire for luxury, un- able to obtain money elsewhere, she plans a daring theft, but overheard by an hotel employee, she fails to succeed and is arrest- ed. The man whose love she rejected comes to her rescue and finally she is obliged to confess that happiness does not lie in gorgeous gowns and expensive jewellery, but in the heart.
Perhaps the impersonation in the present cast that is the great- est single hit is the Bella Vifer of Catherine Reese. Anything more charmingly feminine and lovely than this demure little English actress hasn't been shown on the The other members of the cast deserve unqualified cast. praise.
screen.
?
The romance in "Our Mutual Friend" is built around the
Splendid in its photography, perfect in its direction, power- fully appealing as to story this. photoplay represents the greatest work of a celebrated star support- ed by an exceptionally brilliant
situation that John Harmon's sonality of his friend John Roke- future wife was picked out for him by his miserly but wealthy grandfather when John was a mere lad. Returning home after an absence of several years John is able, through a strange move of fate, to Besume the per
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THE SURPRISE OF THE YEAR CHARLES DICKENS'
FAMOUS NOVEL BECOMES "THE PERFECT MOVIE
"OUR
MUTUAL FRIEND"
(IN NINE REELS) -
:
All the tender pathos and exquisite feeling of Charles Dickens' immortal story has been brought to the screen in this picturization of your favourite author's famous novel.
Charming in its fidelity to the celebrated author's character-drawing, funny characters, suspense, hatred for the villains of the piece.
it'll give an
For father, mother, sister, brother, evening of rare entertainment.
STARTING WEDNESDAY, 4th. DON'T FORGET THE DATE
WORLD
THEATRE.