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Household and Garden Pests: Flies

Disease from Flies. - The fact that flies carry the germs of typhoid and other filth diseases is now so well established that no one can have a clear conscience who is responsible for an open vault or drain or an exposed manure pile, if there is sickness in his household or neighborhood. In the country, farmhouses are usually far enough apart, so that the responsibility for the abatement of this nuisance rests upon the head of the family.

But in towns and villages the responsibility rests upon the local board of health, who, upon complaint being made, have in most cases ample power to enforce sanitary measures. - To Destroy Flies. - The various household measures against flies are the use of screens, poisons, adhesive fly papers, traps, and various preventives.

Have screens for every window and door in the house. Removable wire screens on adjustable or other wood frames are, perhaps, most convenient. These may be inserted in the windows at will and removed when not wanted.

Or a wooden frame may be made the full size of the outer casing of the window and covered with wire or cloth netting. This may be inserted in the spring and removed in the fall, or, if desired, and wire net is used, may be left during the winter, especially in the upper rooms, to prevent children from falling out when the windows are open.

Or a cheap, handy way to screen against flies is to tack mosquito netting to the outer window casing so as to cover the whole window. This is always out of the way, will last one season, can be torn down in the fall, and replaced cheaply and easily .

HOUSEHOLD AND GARDEN PESTS in the spring. If there are children, have the screen door made in two sections, an upper and a lower, so that only the lower section opens when the children go in and out. The flies settle mostly on the upper part of the door. Hence this arrangement keeps out many flies. Adjust the two sections so that the whole door opens when pulled from above. Flies will come down the chimney even when there is a fire in the grate. Hence screen the chimney by means of wire netting across the top.

Have screens either half or full size made for each window on the same principle as a screen door, to fit into the outer frame and open outward.

Hinge on the right side top and bottom, same as a door, and place hooks or bolts on the left side top and bottom to fasten in place. Use double hinges, and in the fall the screen can be lifted, leaving half of the hinge on the window frame. Protect this with suitable oil or paint, and the screen can be adjusted in the spring with little trouble.

Or tack wire or cloth screen to the outer frame of the window, to cover either the lower sash or the entire frame.

Or this may be done from the inside by tacking at the side first, then all around, and facing below.

Or, if the outside shutters are no longer in good repair, they may be converted into frames for screens. Cut out the shutters from the frames and replace with wire screen cloth. These are very convenient, as they cover the whole window, and when it is being washed, or it is otherwise desirable, the screens can be opened out of the way. In winter time they can be taken from the hinges and by varnishing the wire to prevent rust they can be preserved from year to year.

To Mend Screens. - To mend a wire window or door screen that has not become too rusty to work with, take a square piece large enough to reach firm wire on all sides of the damaged part. Ravel the edges of the patch, taking off two or more wires on each side to leave a fringe a quarter of an inch or more in width all around.

Then, with the flat side of a pair of pincers, bend this fringe down at right angles. Place the patch in position and push the bent fringe through. Bend the fringe in toward the center, and place it in firmly by putting a small board against it and hammering it gently on the other side. The patch will hold, and flies cannot crawl under its edges.

Preventives Against Flies. - Flies are said to abhor sweet clover. Place in bags made of mosquito netting and hang them about the room.

Or sprinkle about the room oil of sassafras or oil of laurel. The latter has been used by the butchers of Geneva from time immemorial.

Or use oil of lavender or lavender buds.

Or soak houseleeks for five or six days in water, and wash pictures, furniture, and woodwork with the decoction. Or boil onions in a quantity of water and wash picture frames, moldings, and delicate woodwork, using a soft cloth or a brush.

To prevent flies from settling on windows, wash them in water containing kerosene and wipe with a rag moistened in kerosene.

To Make Poisonous Fly Paper.-To make poisonous fly paper, dissolve 6 drams of chloride of cobalt and 2 ounces of brown sugar in 1 pint of boiling water. Saturate blotting paper with this solution and put a small square of the paper in a saucer of water, or use the solution itself, but remember that it is a deadly poison.

Or mix 1 teaspoonful of laudanum and teaspoonful of brown sugar with 2 tablespoonfuls of water. Expose in saucers. Keep away from children and pets.

Or boil ounce of quassia tips in 1 quart of water, and add 8 ounces of molasses or brown sugar.

Or dissolve 2 drams of mastic of quassia in pint of water, and add 2 tablespoonfuls of molasses or brown sugar.

Or make strong green tea and sweeten with sugar.

Or mix½ teaspoonful of black pepper and 1 teaspoonful of sugar with 2 tablespoonfuls of cream.

Or mix 1 tablespoonful of black pepper, 1 tablespoonful of molasses or brown sugar, and the yolk of 1 egg. Beat to a paste. Flies will eat freely any of the above if exposed where they congregate, and will be killed by them.

To Make Sticky Fly Paper.-Melt pound of rosin, and dilute to the consistency of molasses with 4 ounces or more of sweet oil or lard oil.

Spread this with a brush on two or more sheets of manila wrapping paper, leaving an inch or more margin all around. Place the sticky surfaces of each pair of sheets together, and when wanted pull them apart. This is also a useful preventive against ants and other insects.