Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-12-26

handle. In his hands this rude imple-
ment was very effective until better
ones could be obtained. I have known
machines sold for mere trife to do
better work in new hands than the new
ones purchased to take their. places.
The fault lies not SO much in the
amount Of farm machinery made, as in
the manner in which it is used. While
it is always the reverse of economy to
buy what is not actually needed, this is
especially true of expensive machinery.
1t is difficult to tell which error is
oftenest committed, buying too largely
of implements, or getting along, after a
fashion, without such as are really
necessary to profitable farming Illus
bd7ltln10n.
The SHEEP TICK.-The address of
Prof G. Thomas before the Illinois
Wool Growers Association, on the sub
ject of "Sheep Insects" contains the
following about sheep ticks: The
"sheep tick !" (Melophagus ovinei) not
withstanding it's name, is not tick in
true sense, but a wingless fly and be-
longs to the same order-Diptera-
which the BOTTLES belong, but to a
different and very similar family. which
entomologsts have named Hippoborcida.
These insects are distinguished by their
flattened and somewhat horny bodies,
the horizontal, tlattened head, which is
received into the front part of the
thorax, and the rubin entary antennse.
Some Of them possess wings, but others
have These members aborted, or are en-.
tirely without them, as in the case of
the sheep tick. The front part of the
body Of this species is unusually small;
the head it somewhat wider than the
thorax, which is very narrow; the
mouth or proboscis is as long as the
head; the limbs are short and thick,
and the abdomen, g which is broad and
hairy, is not divided into rings as that
of the flies usually is" 1t is of pale
reddish color; the abdomen is lighter
with an irregular white line along each
side and Il red spot on the back.
The mode of reproduction in these
flies is very singular an unusual. They
produce neither eggs nor Larvae; the
egg-product or tube has an enlarge
ment which produces a smilk-likegse-
cret,On for the nOurishment,ofth the Larvae
or young maggot; the egg-for they
usually give birth to but one or two
young-passes from the ovary to this
enlare cement and matches into larvae,
which is nourished there during this
stage Of its existence upon the milk-ike
fluid before alluded to, until it passes
into the pupa or chrysalis state, att
which time it leaves the body of the
parent Instead, therefore, of produc-
ing eggs or larvae they produce pupa
Therefore, strange as it may seem, we
see in this very low type of animal life
a somewhat close imitation of the
method ofreproduction observed in the
higher animals
The remedies for this pest may be
placed under two heads, as follows
LIST. A change of situation similar to
that recommended in the case of the
botfy
I'd. Measures for removing the ticks
SO far as the latter are concerned, [
suppose that the wool growers present
are doubtless familiar with the remedies
suggested by Randall, Yobatt, Clark,
and other WRITER'S, which consist in dip
ping III decoctions of tobacco, arsenic
solution, application of mercurial ONT
ment, etc. To these have nothing to
add, as these, if properly followed, will
suffice to eradicate them. AS the only
cure after they are on the sheep con-
sists in eradicating the insect, this must
be left to the ingenuity and practical
knowledge Of the shepherd. [ have
seen it stated somewhere that kerosene
may be used with success, but am not
sufficiently acquainted with sheep to
tell to what extent such remedies may
be applied with safety.