Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-06-20

of last season we adopted the method
of moving only after the dew was Off
leaving the grass until near night, then
going over it thoroughly with the ted
der, thus throwing the greener por-
tons uppermost. Left in this way
there was no preceptible blackening by
the dew. and raking and carting could
begin by 10 o'clock the next morning.
This lessened the labor materially, and
gave us hay of superior quality. or
course this practice should not prevail
except when the weather is good and
the grass fairly heavy. 1t is practice
which will give better results in the
early part of the season than later.
The tendency should be- we think,
toward an earlier haying season so as
to secure the quality of hay which
gives the valuable food for the dairy
COW and the growing animal"
Another good thing is his advice
about treating the bothersome horn fly.
For the past few years this fly has
been a great pest amongst the neat
stock of our farms. This is particular
ly true on the dairy farms, as by the
continued annoyance and pain caused
ny lHc lily tue udlTy COW S0TlnkS ma
terially in her milk flow.
The fly derives its name from its
peculiar habit of resting a the base
of the horns. While there it appears
to do no particular harm but confines
its attacks to the backs and loins of
the animal, and such other parts as
cannot be readily reached by the tail
or horns. This fly is about one-half
the size of the house fly, but unlike the
house fly does not breed in ordinary
waste matter, but in the fresh drop
pings of the animals. The eggs are
laid by the fly as soon as the manure
is dropped, and if left undisturbed they
Will hatch in about AS hours, when they
Immediately enter the ground and go
through the second transformation.
After remaining here about two weeks
they emerge from the ground, a perfect
fly, ready for business. 1t will thus be
seen that many generations will APP
pear during the season. Nearly every
thing that can be done to prevent their
ravages must be of a preventive
nature. They may be kept from breed
ing by scattering the weddings of the
animals every two days or by sprink-
liIIS ldIu plaster, lllllt OF uTy tdEll
upon them. They may be kept from
the animals almost entirely by apply
ing some oily preparation. or Pyre-
thrum powder. The liquid prepara-
tons are cheaper and some of them
are more effective. They may be an
piled to the sides and limbs of the ami
NAL to better advantage than the pow
der, another advantage in their favor
We are now using the Eureka fly ONT
ment, a patented preparation which is
giving excellent satisfaction. 1t must
be applied in fine spray. and for this
purpose We use the Electric Sprayer
1t must be applied at least once a day.
and we have occasionally found it
necessary to use it morning and night
A gentleman in Knox county reports
that he uses a mixture made of one
part fish oil, one part tar oil. one part
kerosene oil. with a very little carbolic
acid This, he says, is quite cheap and
seems to be very effective.
1T will be found advisable to apply
this mixture with some implement that
will put it on in a fine spray, as it will
be quite as effective in this way, there
will be saving of material and the
animals will not be unnecessarily COW
cred with the oil"