Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-12-31
vERMiN.


8ov Growing AnlnA1I May be RelIoysA q
tho Pests.
The losses by reason Of vermin q
various kinds which infest animals are
very great Where careful precautions
are not exercised the wretched beasts
swarm with pests which perforatsftheir
skin, suck their blood. and weaken
them By the constant irritation, worry.
and pain which they infiict Because
this is not perceived the evil is toler-
ated to the great loss of the owners.
With the advent of warm weather these
pests increase with great rapidity. and
frequently destroy miserably the young
animals which they infest. Poultry
are attacked by several kinds, red,
brown, and blue lice. and fleas, which
ut times drive the hens from their nests
or worry the young chicks until they
perish. Calves are chiefly annoyed by
the large blue lice, which fasten firmly
| into the skin and defy the efforts Of
the young creatures to dislodge them.
Lambs are troubled by the blood
thirsty ticks, the large reddish brown
insects. each of which will take q
whole drop of blood at a meal, and
which very quickly kill their victims
when they happen to be numerous.
These are the worst pests of the sea-
son. and need immediate attention be-
fore they do mischief by their rapid in
crease in numbers. The poultry YER
min are encouraged by filth; they are
also brought IN and spread by rats and
mice. and where these creatures abound
1t is impossible to keep the buildings
clear of fleas and lice. The poultry
house is the first point of attack. If
the fowls. are kept in or adjacent to the
barn and stables. they should be re-
moved, because they become source
of infection to other animals. Horses
have been known to die from the ef-
fects of those intolerable but minute
pests known as chicken fleas-small
red mites which cover person who
carelessly handles the fowls in the
evening. and who finds soon after that
he is attacked by fiery hot irritation
produced by these pests over his whole
body. For these reasons fowls should
be kept where they can be kept clean
and the house free from filth. Dry air
Stacked lime should be busted over the
whole house and kerosene oil drenched
over the perches and nest boxes. espe-
cially in the joints and cracks. If these
precautions are used. and the breeding
places of the vermin destroyed, the
fowls will soon free themselves and keep
clean.
Calves can be easily freed from their
pests. Perhaps some severe measures
must be taken to destroy the vermin
in their harbors, but once this is
done it is easy to keep them at
a distance. The skin should be
dressed with a mixture of four ounces
of lard. one ounce of sulphur. and one
teaspoonful of creosote, well rubbed to-
gether. This must be done daily. or it
will not be effective. Cows should be
treated in the same manner And once
the pests are dislodged the animals
should be well brushed once . day.
This cleansing of the skin is great
help. 1t removes the dry. scurfy mat
ter among which the vermin harbor and
perhaps feed upon. When any lice
are left it will be good plan to pour
. small quantity of Kerosene oil upon
the brush and work it into the animals
coat. This will very soon clear the an
imal of ali the pests. 1t is an excellent
method for horses should they become
infested.
The ticks upon sheep and lambs re-
quire harsher methods. These tough.
lethargy insects seem to be proof
against all milder remedies than
strong dose of tobacco and sulphur. A
pound of strong tobacco is stepped
twelve hours in gallon of boiling hot
water; four ounces of flowers of sui
phur are added and the liquor stirred
several times 1t is then strained and
cooled to one hundred and twenty de-
grces, when either the lambs are
dipped in it or it is poured along the
back and distributed along the sides.
shoulders and TANKS in such
way that the wool holds it, This kills
the ticks, but it sometimes sickens the
lambs. Some farmers have found
mixture of buttermilk beaten up to an
emulsion with small quantity of lin
ssed oil and kerosene oil. sufficient to
give the whole a strong odor. and
poured over the body as above de-
scribed. to be quite effective in dis
lodging the ticks. 1t must be repeated
in two weeks to kill off the newly
hatched larva.-N. Y Times.