HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIII, Issue VII, 18 August 1894, Page 166

HOUSEHOLD HINTS.

THE COMMON HOUSE FLY. These are so troublesome that anv hint to get rid of them will be welcomed by all housewives. A writer suggests that anybody troubled with them should try sponging her window panes and sills with strong carbolic acid, she will find the Hies die in a few minutes, when they should be swept up and burnt. Apply the acid when the sun shines and the flies are most numerous, and repeat if necessary. BLACK BEETLES. There is no royal road to the destruction of black beetles ! There are plenty of powders and insecticides, which all answer for a time, and then seem to lose their effect. The only way is to continue the treatment steadily. For instance, say you adopt the popular cucumber-rind remedy ; lay these down for three or four successive nights until you see a lessening in the number of beetles, then leave it off for a few days, and repeat it as you notice the insects re appearing ; continue this treatment at weekly intervals till you see no more, but be prepared to renew the application the moment one is seen again. The usual thing is to lay down the beetle poison for several nights, till the pests get used to the trap and avoid it ; and, not finding any defunct, it is supposed they are exterminated, but at the end of a few days they are back more lively than ever. By the first

method, however, you get rid of the successive generations as they emerge, and so, though you do not really destroy the plague, you keep it in bounds. It is very difficult really to eradicate them, for as soon as you have got rid of your own supply, your neighbour’s share appear to turn up to replace them. A very effectual plan at this time of year is to lay leaves of rhubarb about the kitchen, carefully sweeping up any bodies found, and burning them with the used leaves. Another excellent beetle killer is powdered borax mixed with a quarter of its volume of castor sugar ; but both these remedies require repeating as described above.