Articles which must be stored should first be thoroughly
cleaned. Any article which can be washed should be. All
grease spots must be removed, and dust beaten or shaken
out. Woollen stuffs and furs should be hung out-of-doors
in the sun and wind ; beaten with a small rattan or other
fiexible stick, — furs may be combed with a steel comb, —
and thoroughly brushed. All this is necessary to insure
the absence of eggs. If all eggs are not removed before
storage in warm, dry, dark places, there is no safety. The
eggs will hatch, and the larvae have nothing to interfere
with their feast.
Strong odors generally repel moths. Perhaps the odors
themselves are disagreeable, or perhaps they cover up the
natural odor of the stuff, which, to the insect, is an invita-
tion to come in and establish its family. This fact explains
why camphor, cedar, pepper, tar, "moth balls," and other
preparations are recommended for the protection of woollen
goods and furs. Such substances may prevent the mother
from entering, but do not kill the eggs, which may have been
352 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
laid on or in the articles or packages. All such, substances
lose their strong odor after a while and become useless.
Moth eggs will not hatch if kept very cold. A constant
temperature of 40° F, will prevent all ravages from moths.
Cold storage warehouses are often kept as low as 25° F., so
that articles stored there may be kept safely any length of
time. The asstirance of safety is worth the additional
expense, where many or valuable articles are to be pre-
served.
If a light, airy room or closet can be spared, dresses,
coats, furs, blankets, etc., may be hung or left loosely on
shelves, if examined, shaken, and brushed every month or
oftener, according to conditions. They are much safer
than when put away in dark, close packages, subject to
wrinkles. Turpentine, camphor, tobacco, or other strong-
smelling substances may , be sprinkled or spread on floors
or left in an open bottle in the room near the doors or other
places where moths might enter.
If clothing must be left undisturbed, the thorough clean-
ing of every article may be followed by packing it smoothly
in boxes, bags, bundles, etc., with any preferred substance
to furnish the disagreeable odor. The latter is not neces-
sary if the enclosing receptacles are absolutely sealed
against the moth. Boxes may have strips of paper pasted
over the crack between cover and box. Paper bags should
have the tops turned over and pasted down; cloth bags
must have the open mouth turned under and sewed
securely. They should also be made of cotton. Packages
may be wrapped in cotton or newspapers with no crack or
broken j)lace where this extremely thin little insect may
enter. Trunks, closets, drawers, or boxes may be sprayed
with naphtha or turpentine.
Naphtha, benzine, turpentine, kill both eggs and moths,
therefore these are both preventives and remedies. The
HOUSEHOLD PESTS 353
Page 173
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
Articles which must be stored should first be thoroughly cleaned. Any article which can be washed should be. All grease spots must be removed, and dust beaten or shaken out. Woollen stuffs and furs should be hung out-of-doors in the sun and wind ; beaten with a small rattan or other flexible stick, — furs may be combed with a steel comb, — and thoroughly brushed. All this is necessary to insure the absence of eggs. If all eggs are not removed before storage in warm, dry, dark places, there is no safety. The eggs will hatch, and the larvae have nothing to interfere with their feast.
Strong odors generally repel moths. Perhaps the odors themselves are disagreeable, or perhaps they cover up the natural odor of the stuff, which, to the insect, is an invitation to come in and establish its family. This fact explains why camphor, cedar, pepper, tar, "moth balls," and other preparations are recommended for the protection of woollen goods and furs. Such substances may prevent the mother from entering, but do not kill the eggs, which may have been
laid on or in the articles or packages. All such, substances lose their strong odor after a while and become useless.
Moth eggs will not hatch if kept very cold. A constant temperature of 40° F, will prevent all ravages from moths. Cold storage warehouses are often kept as low as 25° F., so that articles stored there may be kept safely any length of time. The assurance of safety is worth the additional expense, where many or valuable articles are to be preserved.
If a light, airy room or closet can be spared, dresses, coats, furs, blankets, etc., may be hung or left loosely on shelves, if examined, shaken, and brushed every month or oftener, according to conditions. They are much safer than when put away in dark, close packages, subject to wrinkles. Turpentine, camphor, tobacco, or other strongsmelling substances may , be sprinkled or spread on floors or left in an open bottle in the room near the doors or other places where moths might enter.
If clothing must be left undisturbed, the thorough cleaning of every article may be followed by packing it smoothly in boxes, bags, bundles, etc., with any preferred substance to furnish the disagreeable odor. The latter is not necessary if the enclosing receptacles are absolutely sealed against the moth. Boxes may have strips of paper pasted over the crack between cover and box. Paper bags should have the tops turned over and pasted down; cloth bags must have the open mouth turned under and sewed securely. They should also be made of cotton. Packages may be wrapped in cotton or newspapers with no crack or broken j)lace where this extremely thin little insect may enter. Trunks, closets, drawers, or boxes may be sprayed with naphtha or turpentine.
Naphtha, benzine, turpentine, kill both eggs and moths, therefore these are both preventives and remedies. The