RAVAGES OF BORER

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 February 1927, Page 11

RAVAGES OF BORER

TREATING ixxr ECTED FURNITURE. The world-wide menace to timber — the “borer” —is a never-ending source of worry once its presence has been detected in the home. The longer the pest is allowed to exist the further it spreads, with the result that large areas of flooring or perhaps whole suites of furniture become diseased. The following gives some information on these pests and various methods of exterminating them. Some authorities contend that once furniture or woodwork is attacked there is no hope of destroying the vermin short of destroying the affected material itself. This is rather a sweeping statement. It is certainly preferable in such cases as an affected chairleg to remove and destroy the wormeaten member instead of attempting a cure; but much woodwork has been saved by resorting to tried and proven remedies. The cures, which aire many and varied, range from ordinary household methods,’ to highly scientific means of extermination.

A fairly reliable plan is to treat the holes with a solution of bichloride of mercury, sometimes known as corrosive sublimate: this, is dissovled in boiling water or methylated spirit. The work is allowed to dry and the holes filled up with ordinary putty thinned down with linseed oil. This may be coloured to match the existing work. This chemical is very deadly and should be handled with the greatest care. Contact with the hands or clothes is disastrous, and to prevent this, a swab tied to one end of a stick is often used. Peroxide of hydrogen may be substituted for the sublimate, and beeswax coloured with aniline dyes to the shade of the wood used in place of the putty and linseed oil. Turpentine or bisulphide of carbon may be injected in a similar way to petrol or paraffin. Constant repetition of these remedies may necessary.

A good method of preserving unaffected furniture or other wood from attack is to rub over the material with carbolic solution, first applied with a brush or feather, and then well rubbed in with a cloth. This prevents the insects entering the wood. The cures mention here exterminate those which have already gained possession.

Sometimes a house is so thoroughly infested by insects of all types that it is necessary to resort to stronger methods. Fumigation is one of the best ways of obliterating a vermin plague, and this may be done by sealing up one room at a time and burning sulphur therein. All crevices, such as window frames, fireplaces, etc., must be stopped with paper. The sulphur should be burnt in an iron vessel.

In New Zealand a great deal of furniture has been built of white pine, which is particularly susceptible to attacks from borer. Care should be taken in buying second-hand furniture to see that it is not infected arid each piece should be examined on the surface.

Fortunately, the use of white pine is dwindling and the menace of the “borer” is becoming less apparent.