Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/257

235&#93; MOT «nd the substance of the latter af- fords sustenance to the inseft. In this state, they remain nearly a whole year, and duruig that pe- riod greatly injure clothes or other articles manufa(9:ured of wool ; though these destrudive creatures fast for many days (probably when changing their skin), and also spend the whole winter in a torpid state. In the succeeding spring, they en- tirely close their case ; change into a chrysalis ; and, after a few weeks, gppear in the shape of -wo/A^, which speedily propagate themselves in the manner of bugs. Some species, however, previously desert their habitation, and suspend themselves in the next convenient corner, where they undergo their transfor- mation. — There is a peculiar kind of these vermin, called hastard- vtoths, the cases of which are open at one end ; closely attached to woollen cloLlis, and removed only when they have devoured the whole substance around the spot : they are of a larger size than the true moths. — Another variety of the latter kind, preys only on the dry skins of animals, the leather covers of books, &:c. but their cases 9re destitute of all motion. JVIany remedies have been devis- ed, with a view to extirpate, or pre- vent the generation of moths : — in the progress of the present work, we have incidentally mentioned various vegetables that may be usefully applied to that elfe£l ; but to repeat them in this place, yi'ould be superfluous ; as the reader will lind them pointed out in the General Index of Refer- ence, annexed to the last volume pf this Encyclopaedia. Let it, there- fore, suffice to observe, that one of fhe most speedy remedies for their complete exterriiination, is the smell of turpenihic : whether this cliifasi- M O U [235 ble oil be employed in a liquid^ate, by spiinklingiton woollen smtfs, oi* placing sheets of paper moistened with it between pieces of cloth ; or merely by ev^aporating the oil in shallow vessels, placed coAtiguouis to the articles, infested with moths, its etfefts will be equally certain. It is remarkable, that moths never infest the fleeces on the backs of animals ; nor even unwnsherl wooly so that they always abandon the place where such raw material is kept. Hence those persons, to whom- the smell of turpentine is too offensive, may avail themselves of this circumsranee, and placo layers of undressed wool betweexi pieces of cloth, or put small parcels in the corners of shelves and draw- ers containing drapery of that de- scription. For the discovery of this curious and useful fatSt, we are indebted to M. Reaumur. Another, though more disagree- able mode of exterminating moths, is the smoke of tobacco, which in- fallibly kills them; but the articles thus fumigated should be after- wards exposed to the air, which speedily dissipates the peculiar smell of that narcotic herb. Mother-of-Peakl. SeeMus.- CLE, the Pearl bearing, MOTHERWORT, the Com- mon, Lion's Tail, or Leonurus Cardiaca, L, an indigenous plant, growing in hedges, rubbish, on dunghills, and calcareous soils j flowering from June till August. The leaves of the Motiierwort possess a strong, disagreeable odour, and a bitter laste.^ — Guats, sheepy and horses, eat this vegetable, but cows do not relish ii; and it is to- tally refused by. hogs. — Dambour- NEV dyed woollen cloth ot an ex- cellent dark olive-colour, irom a deco6tipn of this plant. MOULD, a general name for the