The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-08-21

horn fly does not bite horses and other
animals, but seems to confne its at
tack on cattle. No injury results from
this habit Of clustering around the
horn. The flies merely resort to the
horn as a resting place from which
they cannot easily be dislodged by the
animal. They also congregate on the
neck and on the base Of the tail.
Some animals are more susceptible
to the tortures Of this pest than
others, according to their temperament
and texture of their skins. While
feeding. the flies work their way down
through the hairs so as to reach the
skin OF their victim, but they quickly
take flight at the slightest disturbance.
The bites seem to produce great irri-
tat1on and sores are frequently formed
on the bodies Of the animals by their
rubbing themselves against trees and
other objects or by licking bitten
places where the irritation cannot be
allayed by rubbing, as inside the
thighs and around the udder.
Successive broods follow each other
rapidly throughout the summer. Two
weeks is about the time required from
the laying of the egg to the appearance
or the fly, and there is usually time in
the summer months for as many as
eight generations or broods. This
rapidity of development accounts for
the flies appearing in such large num-
bers. The appearance Of this insect
has been great curse to cattle own
ers; so much so that the tormented
animals fall off in condition very much
and the yield of milk is reduced in
some instances from one-third to one.
half. There are, however, several sim
pie remedies which will, If attended to,
greatly reduce the loss, to say nothing
of the hundreds of advertised rene
dies which are being sold at very mod
crate prices.
All accounts agree that the fly in.
creases much more rapidly early in
the season than later in the year. This
shows the advantage of being prepared
before the pest appears with the nee.
essary materials and beginning prompt
work so as to destroy as many as pos
sible before breeding commences.
Preventive-To quote from the
United States entomologists, Messrs.
Riley and Howard:
Almost any greasy substance will
keep the flies away for several days. A
number of experiments were tried in
the field, with the result that train-oil
alone and train-oil with a little sui
phur or carbolic acid added, will keep
the flies away for from five to six
days, while with a small proportion
of carbolic acid it will have healing
effect upon sores which may have
formed. Common axle-grease will an.
swer nearly as we'll, and the substance
has been successful and extensively
used by a large stock-dealer in Vir.
ginia. Tallow has also been used to
good advantage. The practice of
smearing the horns with pine or coal
| tar simply repels them from these
parts. Train oil or fish oil seems to
be more lasting in it's effects than any
other OF the substances used"
A cheap and efficacious remedy. suc
gested by Hoard's Dairyman, and
which in the long run will be found
to be the best, is kerosene emulsion.
The emulsion consists simply of mix
ture of soap suds with twice the
quantity of ordinary coal oil, made as
follows:
Kerosene (coal oily, two quarts.
rain water, one quart; soap, two
ounces.
Boil the soap in the water till all is
d1ssolved; then while boiling hot, turn
it into the kerosene and churn it con-
stantly and forcibly with syringe or
force pump for five minutes, when it
will be of a smooth, creamy nature.
AS it cools it thickens into a jelly.
like mass. This gives the stock emul.
sion which must be diluted before u.s.
ing with nine times it's measure, that
is q quarts, of water. 1t will be found
to mix more easily if done at once, be-
fore it cools. This makes 80 quarts
of the mixture ready for USE This
may be applied to the animals by
means OF sponge. or, what is certain.
ly more convenient, force pump and
spray nozzle. One application often
lasts two or three days. Where
small number of cattle only are kept,
the hand sprayer answers we'll
enough.
lmprovinu Pastures NAV