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Household and Garden Pests: Store

To Store Furs and Woolens. A cedar-wood chest, in which to store furs and woolens against moths, was formerly thought indispensable, but many substitutes are now in use that are cheaper and just as good. Empty lard cans which may be had of butchers and grocers are excellent. They are light, tight, and take up little room. Ordinary tin bread or cake boxes are good, but they must be wrapped up in paper or have paper pasted over the joints. Large paper flour sacks are excellent. The tops must be pasted together after the articles have been inserted. Or pasteboard boxes that are used by dealers to deliver garments, or drygoods boxes lined with newspapers or with tarred paper pasted carefully to the insides.

Or old trunks lined in the same manner.

Or a cask or barrel that has been used for whisky, wine, or alcohol, and still smells strongly of alcohol.

To Store Bedding. - Line a large dry-goods box with several thicknesses of newspapers pasted smoothly on the inside, or use one or more layers of tarred paper. Shake and air the articles, fold and pack them in this box, and paste papers on the cover in such a way that they will project several inches outside. Fold these edges downward and paste them to the sides of the box so as to make a tight joint, and finally tack down the lid.

Moths in Feathers. - Moths will not get into feather pillows, feather beds, etc., unless the ticks are ripped or torn, but should they infest feathers, the best remedy is to boil the feathers for half an hour or more, and afterwards wash and dry them. Or soak feathers thoroughly with benzine or gasoline.

To Store Garments. To protect winter garments, such as suits, overcoats, and the like, left hanging in closets or wardrobes during the summer, place one or more suits and overcoats on a good clothes hanger and prepare a bag of unbleached cotton or any old cotton cloth large enough to cover the whole while hanging in its natural shape. Draw this up over the garments and tie at the top with a hard knot.

A section of a barrel hoop covered with cotton cloth and having a piece of old broomstick fastened between the two ends of the crescent makes a good clothes hanger. A pair of trousers may be folded and hung over the rod, and coats and overcoats hung upon the convex side. A piece of stout twine or wire may be adjusted in the middle to hang by.