The chronicle=news., 1914-07-27
Department of Agriculture Discovers
a Method for Preventing Flies
from Breeding in Horse Manure.

Washington, D. c.. July 2G.-As a
result of experiments, the specialists
OF the Department of Agriculture
have discovered that a small amount
of ordinary borax sprinkled daily on
manure. will effectively prevent the
breeding of the typhoid or house fly
Similarly, the same substance ap-
piled to garbage. refuse. open toilets.
damp floors and crevices in stables,
cellars Or markets. will prevent ny
eggs from Matching. Borax will not
kill the adult fly nor prevent 1t from
laying its eggs. but its thorough use
will prevent any further breeding.
The investigation, which included
experiments with many substances.
was undertaken to discover some
means Of preventing the breeding OF
flies in horse manure without lessen
ing the value Of this manure as
fertilizer for use by the farmer. 1t
was felt that II some means Of pre-
venting the breeding of flies near a
human habitation could be devised.
the diseases spread by these filthy
germ carriers could be greatly re-
duced. While the "Swat the fly"
campaign. traps and other devices
for reducing the number OF typhoid
carrying flies are eof value. they are
Of less Importance than the preven-
tion of the breeding. It was realized,
however, that no measure for pre-
venting the breeding Of flies would
come into common use unless 1t was
such that the farmer could use 1t on
his manure pile without destroying
its usefulness for growing plants,
and without Introducing into the soil
any substance that would interfere
with his crops.
As a result of experiments carried
on at the Arlington Farm, In Virgin
la. and New Orleans. La, the fnvesti-
gators found that 0.G2 Of pound OF
borax, or O,75 of a pound of calcined
colemanite (crude calcium borate)
would kill the maggots and prevent
practically all of the flies ordinarily
breeding in s bushels OF horse ma
nure from developing. This was
proved by placing the manure In
cages and comparing the results from
piles treated with borax and from
untreated piles. The borax, 1t was
found. killed the fly eggs and mag
gots in the manure and prevented
their growth into flies.
In the case 70 garbage cans or re-
fuse piles, 2 ounces OF borax or cal
lcined colemanite. costing from 3
cents a pound upward according to
the quantity which Is purchased, Will
effectually prevent flies from breed
ing.
While 1t can be safely stated that
no injurious action has followed the
application OF manure treated with
borax at the rate of .G2 pounds for
bushels or even larger amounts in
the case of some plants. neverthe-
less borax-trented manure has not
been studied in connection with the
growth of all crops. nor has its Gu
mulative effect been determined. 1t
is therefore recommended that not
more than is tons of the borax-treat-
ed manure should be applied per acre
to the field. AS truck growers use
considerably more than this amount.
It is suggested that all cars contain
ing borax-treated manure be so
marked, and that public health Of
ficials stipulate in their directions
for this treatment that not over .62
of n pound for s bushels Of manure
be used, as 1t has been shown that
larger amounts of borax will injurc
most plants. It is also recommended