The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-06-08


and that is that they have never been disputed.
There is unanimity of sentiment surrounding the
onslaught on the house fly which ought either
to receive our highest Endorsement or arouse our
darkest suspicion, just the spirit Is apt to
incline U.S.
The house fly proper Musca domestica, of the
order of the Tiptera, is grayish fly with mouth
formed for sucking up liquid substances.
1t has a proboscis something like the trunk OF
an elephant in miniature and its feet are termin-
ated each by pair of claws, between which are
more or less membranous arolia plantulae
which climb polished surfaces, and also pulv1l-
lus or cushion. 1t does not bite for that function
is reserved for stable fly which resembles it so
closely as to deceive anybody but an entomol-
ogist Neither does it die upon the window pane
surrounded by the fungous efforescence SO Ia
miliar to the disguised housewife. That is the
habit of the cluster fly, which is somewhat larger
than the house fly with dark-colored, smooth
abdomen, and sluggish disposition.
Several other species bear superficial like
ness to the true house fly and are more or less
mistaken for it, All are inconsderate In mum
Der in comparison to the common pest, however,
that they may safely be disregarded in the dis
cussion.
The great breeding place of the house fly is
horse manure 1t will it is true, thrive to some
extent In other sorts of decaying animal and vege
table matter but it's Partially for the stable ref
use Ia SO great that the vast proportion OF its on
substance.
The fly lays its eggs upon the manure, which
is its favorite larval flood, and generation may
be bred in from ten to fourteen days according to
the climate. There may be a dozen generations
In a summer An Individual fly will average 12O
eggs and when the prevalence OF horse manure
is taken into consideration its widespread appli
cation to farm lands in the way of fertilizer
its presence in piles in or city stables, It's
use upon lawns and suburban gardens, the posi-
bilites in the propagation of the fly will be read
fly seen to be past computation. 1t Is even calcu
lated that single fly, laying 10 eggs, VIII pro
duce a progeny amounting to sextillions in one
season. This probably does not take into con-
alteration accidents which operate greatly to re-
duce the supply.
Some experiments have been made with a view
to calculating the number in which house-1y
larvae occur in manure, but nc general average
can be struck. Twelve hundred house flies to the
pound of manure is the result of one observation
Another showed 200 puparia in less than one CUBIC
inch Yet perhaps larvae can be FOUND III
the greater part of manure piles
Because of his habits the house fly Is walk,
ing arsenal of bacilli. The old notion that he
was valuable as a scavenger Is untrue. He Will
prey on garbage and carry it away as part ana
parcel Of his tissue, but he does not Kill the germ
he absorbes It has been proved that the bacteria
are not only taken into the fly and pass through
It's body without any loss OF their active proper
ply during their sojourn there.
These germs are deposited upon foodstuns, and
eating utensils pass into the human economy In
spite Of ordinary care, and II they are OF maev-
client typo and the system which takes them III
Is not strong enough to resist their action, DIS
tress disease and death apt to follow in their
wake In addition. the fly also disseminates
germs by carrying them upon his body the cusn-
ions OF his feet and his wings.
Through the researches OF ". M Eaton ana y.
: Ma~on II has been found that "the numbers OF
bacteria on single fy may range all the way
from $50 to $500 OOo.' No general average can be
struck few million more or less will make no
difference In the general result.
Because Of its prevalence and its familiar asso.
citation with man Musca domestica has exception
al opportunities to distribute diseasebreeding bac'
ters where they will do the most harm a Ger
tain genus of mosquito disseminates malaria nut
the mosquito thrives only In localities especially
favorable to his propagation. There u good rea'