Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-07-31
TELLS NEW WAY To
SWAT THE FLIES"
SMALL AMOUNT OF BORAX DAILY
WILL PREVENT BREEDING,
GOVERNMENT SAYS,

OANt L. ", July
AS result of experiments, the spe-
cialists of the department of agricul-
ture have discovered that small
amount of ordinary borax sprinkled
daily on manure, will effectively pre-
vent the breeding Of the typhoid or
house fly. Similarly, the same sub
stance applied to garbage, refuse, OPP
en- toilets, damp floors and crevices
in stables, cellars or markets, will
prevent fly eggs from Matching. Bor-
ak will not kill the adult fly nor pre-
vent it from laying 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 a fer
tilizer for use by the farmer. AS a
result of experiments carried on at
the Arlington Farm, in Virginia, and
New Orleans. La, the investigators
found that O.62 of pound of borax,
or OTIS Of a pound of calcined cole |
mantle (crude calcium borate) would
kill the maggots and prevent practi-
cally all of the flies ordinarily breed
ing in bushels of horse manure
from developing. In the case of gar
bage cans or refuse piles, 2 ounces of
borax or calcined colemanite, costing
from cents pound upward accord
ing to the quantity which is purchas-
ed, will effectually prevent flies from
breeding.
Care Must Be Used.
While it can be safely stated that
no injurious action has followed the
application of manure treated with
borax at the rate Of so pounds for
bushels or even larger amounts in
the case of some plants, nevertheless
borax-treated manure has not been
studied in connection with the growth
of all crops, nor has it's cumulative
effect been determined. 1t is there
fore recommended that not more
than Is tons of the borax-treated
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 mark
ed. and that public health officials
stipulate in their directions for this
treatment that not over so of q
pound for 8 bushels of manure be
used, as it has been shown that larger
amounts of borax will injure most
plants.
1t is also recommended that all
public health officials and others, in
recommending borax treatment for
killing fly eggs and maggots in ma
nure, warn the public against the in
furious effects of large amounts of
borax on the growth of plants. Pur-
chasers of manure produced in cities
during the fly-breeding season should
insist that the dealers from whom
they purchase give them a certified
statement as to whether or not the
manure in the particular car or lot
involved in the purchase has been
terated with hOrax
In feeding to. hogs garbage that
contains borax care is also recon-
mended, especially when the animals
are being fattened for market. Bor-
ak is not very poisonous substance
and the feeding of garbage that con-
tains it to hogs, is not likely to be a
serious matter. On the other hand
borax in large quantities does pro-
duce gastric disturbances and for this
reason certain amount of care is ad-
visable.
How To Apply 1t.
The method for using this sub
stance in the case of stables is to
sprinkle the borax or colemanite in
the quantities given above, by means
of -four sitter or other fine sieve,
around the outer edges of the pile of