Pastry is a delicious titbit for the little red ant, and
many a woman has first found out their presence by
seeing them appear upon the pie she was serving for
dessert.
Shelves may be washed with a five per cent carbolic acid
solution, with a decoction of quassia chips, or hot alum
water. Powdered lime or borax sprinkled freely on shelves
and floors may be effective. Certain strong odors are objec-
tionable to the red ant especially. Wormwood, cucumber,
or pennyroyal are used for this purpose. Cucumber par-
ings, the fresh herbs, or the oil of pennyroyal may be used.
The last may be spread about on bits of cotton.
Lard is an attractive bait. Chips holding lard may be
placed in the infested places ; the little creatures will swarm
over these, and when they are well covered they should be
thrown into the fire. A strip of fur placed along the shelf
or round plates of food is a protection, for the ants get
entangled among the hairs. Plunge the infested fur into
boiling water and thoroughly dry afterwards.
The black ants have so strong a liking for sweets that
these furnish the best bait for them. Saturate small bits
of sponge with syrup, molasses, or a solution of borax and
sugar. Leave them about the places most frequented by
the ants. When these are well stocked, plunge into boiling
water as before.
Preventive Measures. — Covering, or tight closing, of food
supplies, especially fats and sugars ; cleanness and dryness ;
absence of all attractive substances.
HOUSEHOLD PESTS 347
Remedies. — Boiling water, carbolic acid, alum, traps, fur,
borax, wormwood, quassia, pennyroyal, cucumber.
Miscellaneous Pests. — The number of insects which may
be found in pantries and storerooms is almost infinite.
Some of these affect only moist food supplies like meats,
pickles, cheese, etc.; others are found in meals, prepared
cereals, spices, legumes, and dried fruits. Many times these
food materials become infested in the mills or storehouses ;
others in the groceries or markets ; while others may become
so through lack of proper care in the individual house.
All supplies should be examined carefully when bought.
When meals, flours, crackers, dry fruits, or prepared cereals
show silken threads or traces of webs or insects either at
first sight or after sifting, — all such suspicious supplies
should be returned to the store. If the nuisance continues,
another source of supply should be sought.
Persons in charge of mills and storehouses should under-
stand the dangers to their products and the preventive and
remedial measures. If there is carelessness here, the inter-
mediate dealer should return all infested products ; and the
honest, enterprising grocer or marketman will see to it
that his goods are not contaminated while in his posses-
sion.
Supplies, non-infested when bought, become so very soon
if pantries and store-closets are not kept cool and dry.
Moisture and warmth are the favorable conditions for most
insect development. Wooden receptacles may harbor eggs
or larvge for long periods Avithin their seams or crevices ;
larvae may enter such, or eat through pasteboard, or through
paper bags. Glass, tin, stone, or earthen receptacles are
safer for the storage of any food materials. Such food-
holders in cool, dry rooms will reduce to the minimum all
danger from insect pests.
Where wooden buckets or barrels must be used, a coat of
348 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
Page 170
Presented as published in 1900. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Pastry is a delicious titbit for the little red ant, and many a woman has first found out their presence by seeing them appear upon the pie she was serving for dessert.
Shelves may be washed with a five per cent carbolic acid solution, with a decoction of quassia chips, or hot alum water. Powdered lime or borax sprinkled freely on shelves and floors may be effective. Certain strong odors are objectionable to the red ant especially. Wormwood, cucumber, or pennyroyal are used for this purpose. Cucumber parings, the fresh herbs, or the oil of pennyroyal may be used. The last may be spread about on bits of cotton.
Lard is an attractive bait. Chips holding lard may be placed in the infested places ; the little creatures will swarm over these, and when they are well covered they should be thrown into the fire. A strip of fur placed along the shelf or round plates of food is a protection, for the ants get entangled among the hairs. Plunge the infested fur into boiling water and thoroughly dry afterwards.
The black ants have so strong a liking for sweets that these furnish the best bait for them. Saturate small bits of sponge with syrup, molasses, or a solution of borax and sugar. Leave them about the places most frequented by the ants. When these are well stocked, plunge into boiling water as before.
Preventive Measures. — Covering, or tight closing, of food supplies, especially fats and sugars ; cleanness and dryness ; absence of all attractive substances.
Remedies. — Boiling water, carbolic acid, alum, traps, fur, borax, wormwood, quassia, pennyroyal, cucumber.
Miscellaneous Pests. — The number of insects which may be found in pantries and storerooms is almost infinite. Some of these affect only moist food supplies like meats, pickles, cheese, etc.; others are found in meals, prepared cereals, spices, legumes, and dried fruits. Many times these food materials become infested in the mills or storehouses ; others in the groceries or markets ; while others may become so through lack of proper care in the individual house.
All supplies should be examined carefully when bought. When meals, flours, crackers, dry fruits, or prepared cereals show silken threads or traces of webs or insects either at first sight or after sifting, — all such suspicious supplies should be returned to the store. If the nuisance continues, another source of supply should be sought.
Persons in charge of mills and storehouses should understand the dangers to their products and the preventive and remedial measures. If there is carelessness here, the intermediate dealer should return all infested products ; and the honest, enterprising grocer or marketman will see to it that his goods are not contaminated while in his possession.
Supplies, non-infested when bought, become so very soon if pantries and store-closets are not kept cool and dry. Moisture and warmth are the favorable conditions for most insect development. Wooden receptacles may harbor eggs or larvge for long periods Avithin their seams or crevices ; larvae may enter such, or eat through pasteboard, or through paper bags. Glass, tin, stone, or earthen receptacles are safer for the storage of any food materials. Such foodholders in cool, dry rooms will reduce to the minimum all danger from insect pests.
Where wooden buckets or barrels must be used, a coat of