Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-04-04
FIGHTING THE FLY
BY Frederick Haskin.

The fly aghting campaign OF 1912
~ on. throughout the country civic
organizations and health departments
OF cities are planning TO lessen the
fly population OF this year by half
OF that OF 1911, and In this way de-
crease the danger from typhoid and
other diseases which the little sumner
pest Is known TO spread.
Since the beginning Of annual anti
ny campaigns nearly four years ago,
much progress has been made, and
few more years OF persistent work
such as has been outlined by the
American Civic association and ether
organizations Is expected 20 mako
great inroads into this family OF the
musca domestIca, which Is the scicn-
lists name for the common house
flN or typhoid ny. as Il Is now cali
ed.
Government experts have made in
vestigatons which show that the
"swatting" OF one fly in April may
prevent a population Of nearly ,0OO.-
O0O,000,00 flies In September. Dr. l..
o. Howard, CHIEF OF the United States
bureau OF entomology. has prepared
a table OF estimates which show this
startling rate OF increase from a sim
gle over-winterlng female rs, which
lays 100 eggs on April it. or there
abouts. Or. Howard adds that his
original table Is made on the assump-
ton that each female has laid only
go eggs. whereas In reality She may
lay four patches OF ten dozen eggs
each The entomologist leaves the
task OF estimating the possible Sep
TENDER fly population on the larger
basis TO readers who are fond Of the
multiplication table.
The effect OF the anu-fly campaigns
may be understood when these figures
are kept In mind. and Il Is remember
ed that In one city, Worcester, Mass.
the school children collected 1868
quarts OF flies, or about forty bushels.
While the methods or Offering money
prizes for catching flies wero found
unsatisfactory, the campaign showed
that the children who worked intel
ligently, and who did not adopt I'M
fair methods, succeeded ~ accom-
pllshing fine results rA~
The managers of the Worcester
campaign were surprised sshcn they
learned that some OF the children had
adopted unfair methods. The boy OF
70 years Of age who won frst prize
had ninety ave quarts of files 10 his
credit He collected eight quarts on
the last day Of tho contest His
methods were looked into and the fly
campaign committee was startled
when they learned the facts. The boy
had been breeding flies. The cam
paign was three weeks long, which Is
enough time for the breeding OF about
two generations. The enterprislng
young contestant operated on a large
public dump. where he piled much
fish offal and other market refuse TO
make an ideal breeding place FOR files.
lie constructed large cages Of window
screens over the piles. and all there
remained TO do was TO collect the
pests bred and fed by himself and
numerous older members of his fam
lly, friends and relatives.
The Worcester campaign and sim-
liar contests In Baltimore, Washing
ton and other cities taught the cam
paigners that large money prizes on
scuro the real purpose of the work,
for the usual result is that a few
children gain tho lead and all the
rest become more or less discouraged
ana do practically nothing. While
the fiy-collecting campaigns were not
as effective aa Il was hoped they
would be. much good was done IN
stimulating interest In the danger
from tho pests.
This years antl-fly campaign viii
be directed toward Kidding cities Of
flies. district by district Offering
prizes TO the leaders In the hrst see-
ton or district of a city where the
flies have been practically eNtermi-
mated. This new task may not be 10
dlmcuIt OF accomplishment as some
may expect, for II means merely a.
determined effort go set a hearty CO.
operation OF community ~ clean
wholesome homes free from rfuse
piles Ia the back yards. open garbage
receptacles and unclean stables
Ia the 1912 style OF campaign the