The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-07-21
u. S. Agricultural Department,
Weekly News Letter.

: OSCll 1oollo III ASAASboA
!, by scientists of the department.
Flies lay their eggs chiefly in stable
manure. Powdered hellebore
mixed with water and sprinkled over
the manure will destroy the larvae
(which are Matched from the eggs.
Since powdered hellebore is readily
~obtainable, this puts in the hands of
everyone a remedy for one of the
pests that has been found dangerous
as we'll as troublesome. Powdered
nellebore, however, swill not kill adult
flies, which must be swatted or trap
ped. - >,.- .r. r..
1t has long been known that flies
breed in manure, but previous, me-
thods of destroying the larvae there
by the Use of strong chemicals have
been open to the objection that the
treatment under some conditions les
sened the fertilizing value of the
manure or actually injured vegeta-
ton. This is not true of. powdered
%hellebore. Government expert
ments have shown that the helIebore
is entirely decomposed in the course
of the fermentation Of the manure,
and that wen in excessive quaint
ties it does no harm except to the
larvae it is intended to destroy.
Chickens picking in manure treated
with it suffer no i'll effects. -
One-half pound of powdered helle-
bore mixed with 10 gallons of water
is sufficient to kill the larvae in 8
bushels, or 10 cubic feet, of manure.
The mixture should be sprinkled
carefully over the pile, especial at
t~ention being paid to the outer edges.
In moss places hellebore is obtain
able in 100 pound lots at a cost of
II cents a pound. This makes the
cost of the treatment a little less
than seven-tenths of, a cent per bush
Ell Of manure. A liberal estimate
of the output of manure is 2 bushels
la day per horse. The money in
volved is therefore trifling in COM
parison with the benefits to the indi:
vidual and the community from the
practical elimination of the disease
spreading fly. '."r
Although fresh manure is the
favorite breeding spot, flies lay their
eggs in other places as we'll, such as
! out houses, refuse piles, ETC.. In
these places, from which no manure
is taken to spread m the fields. con-
siderable saving may be effected
through the substitution of borax
for powdered hellebore. Applied at
the rate of 0.62 pounds per 8 bushels
of manure, borax is as effective as
powdered hellebore in killing the
larvae but cost less than half a cent
for each bushel of manure treated
In larger quantities, however, OF
when the manure itself is spread al
a greater rate than Is tons to the
acre, some damage to crops may re.
suit. Large quantities Of manure
are often used by market gardeners
and others, and there is always dan.
ger of ~carelessness in applying the
borax. The use of the more expen,
sive but safer hellebore is therefore
recommended for. the treatment Of
manure. Borax is recommended
for all other refuse in which file:
may lay eggs.
Scientists who have been workinf
for years to eliminate the fly are con
WINGED that the use of n or tn,
other of these simple measures i
a public duty wherever manure am
refuse exist. Sanitarians, however
strongly advise the removal of re
fuse heaps or other unnecessary rub
Dish or breeding places for flies. Il
: breeding places which can not b
thus disposed of, such as manu-
or stables, the daily use of powdere,
hellebore will keep the flies from
| breeding in these favorite breedin;
grounds. The best results are OBJ
tainable in a community where ever,
. n cleans up his premises, traps O
kills the flies, and systematicall
treats the manure and other breed
ing places with powdered hellebore.
The fly is not only a nuisance t
human beings and live stock, j
spreads disease and filth and is
menace to public health which ca:
y not be tolerated in the face of a de
monstrated remedy. Details of tn
r experiments with sother informatio
= on the subject are contained in
4 professional paper. Bulletin 245 o
g the department.