The Ordway new era., 1907-08-09
The Spider and the Flies.

The lpdein'is game ihNcsth"'
the department of agriculture @ hn's
cautiously advanced several thept.r,
...,I.h arrest instant and respecHu'
o,,on,lon. They relate TO that pa"'
ling aud abtruse problem, the pFo''o'
,lp, ~ COWS from flies. The sc'eh'
lists a. the department do not rus"
! forward with the cocksure proclaiia'
,,or tina, they have discovered paua'
ce,-tbey are too well trained In the
strategy OF retreat for that hut
they do advance, with plenty OF us
and butts. few novel suggestions
v,bIrh are worthy OF consideration by
MI human beings who are acquainted
with cows and llies. The world seems
TO be trembling on the verge ola great
discovery.
The fact having been demonstrated
that files are n nuisance, and the
onInIon bcing expressed that thcy
may cause u dIminution OF the mix
yield by their assidious attentions
the council O! sa .'ants in Che depar3-'
mc2t Of agriculture discusses the var
ious methods suggested for abatine
the suisancc. The first plan allows
r1r the incarceration OF the cows dur
nC the daytime, and allows grazing
on the pasture only ut night. The on
ly objection to this obviously elective
process is that in many cases, and es'
peclally In open range county the ar
rangemeut Is not possible.
Taking step further, therefore, on
solid logical ground, the coterie OF
scientists concludes in long winded
thesis that some fly repel!ant must
Dc used. Then. with Irresistible CON
sequence, the question arises, what
will repcl flies from cows? The scicu-
fists tried a formula composed IN part
OF resin fish oil, laundry soap. etc,
applied with brush. Exhaustive
experiments with this concUction un
cows OF different culurs, sizes and tenn
pers proved that frequent application
WIS necessary at first, but afterward
not so often, because the tips Of the
hair become coated with resin. This
settled the iy question, but IL did
not satisfy insatiate science. How
does the resin armOr effect the mi,S
yield, was asked.
o The cows aTmOTed with resin were
accordingly tested and IL was ascer-
tained, greatly to the distress Of the
investigators that the yield OF milk
was less than with unarmorcd cows.
II Is true that the cows stood more
quietly during milkings, but for rea-
sons which even science could not is-
more, the resin treatment was dropped
before The cows ran dry. Then science
turned % kerosene emulsion. This
stuff had killed San Jose scale, June
bugs, OK warble, boil wccvel, and 9TH
er enemies OF the department OF ag-
not flies on cows? A
specially constructed shed was erect
cd down in Virginia, where the move.
meut OF the animals could be regu.at.
ed. In other words, science drove the
cows into corner and held them
there with ineXorable hands, while IL
turned upon them hose fitted with
nozzles so as to throw the spray upon
the animal from all directions.
The report is silent as to the conse.
quences, but it is perfectly evident
that no self-respecting COW would SUBJ
nit to such treatment without max
ing sure that the operator received
his share Of the spray. Science, Of
courae, ignores such little incidents.
The report merely observes that In
the mix.up OF cattle, spray, nozzle,
and scientists, flies are slaughtered In
large numbers. 1.-The flies are killed. VI
says the scientist, during the pas.
sage Of the animal through the spray ,
1t is then announced with almost
positive emphasis that very crafty.
ing results were obtained" The
world moves. Science, thwarted bu,
undaunted looks eager-eyed TO the
future. Sooner or later the r-grea;
problem OF protecting COWS from flie.
during milking time, must and Will b,
solved. When will all the cows ia Tho
country hold conventions to thanh
the department for its wonderous acu
men in alfording remedial amncst,
from pestiferous enemies?-The Den
yer Field and Farm.