The Dolores star., 1915-07-23
Heikbore foe Flies.

A safe and effective weapon against
the typhoid or house fly has been found
in powered hellebore by scientists of
tAe department. Flies lay their eggs
eafehy in stable manure. Powered
h6Hedore mixed with water and sprink-
led over the manure will destroy the
larvae which are Matched from the eggs.
Since powered hellebore is readily OBJ
tainable, this puts in the hands of
everyone q remedy for one of the pests
that has been found dangerous as well
~ troublesome. Powdered hellebore,
however, will not kill adult flies. which
must be swatted or trapped.
1t has long been known that flies
breed in manure, but previous methods
Of destroying the larvae there by the
use of strong chemicals have been open
to the objection that the treatment
under some conditions lessened the fer
tilizing value of the manure or actually
injured vegetation. This is not true of
powered hellebore is entirely decom
posed in the course of the fermentation
of the manure, and that even in ex
cessive quantities it does no harm ex-
cept to the larvae it is intended to de-
stroy. Chickens picking in manure
treated with suffer no i'll effects.
One-half pound of powdered hellebore
mixed with 10 gallons of water is suffi-
Gent to kill the larvae in bushels, or
IN r,,h;o 90 Tho
ture should be sprinkled carefully over
the pile, especial attention being paid
to the outer edges. In most places
hellebore in 1OO-pound lots at cost of
II cents a pound. This makes the
cost of the treatment little less than
seventh-tenths Of a cent per bushel of
manure. A liberal estimate of the out
put of manure is bushels day per
horse. The money involved is there
fore trifiing in comparison with the
benefits to the individual and the COM
munity from the practical elimination
Of the disease-spreading fly.
Although fresh manure is the favor
tie breeding spot, flies lay their eggs
in other places as well, such as out
houses. refuse piles, etc. In these
PLACES, from which no manure is taken
to spread on the fields, considerable
saving may be effected through the
substitution of borax for powdered
hellebore. Applied at the rate of O.62
. pounds per 8 bushels of manure, borax
Is ~ effective as powdered hellebore
In killing the larvae but costs less than
half . esnt for each bushel Of manure
treated. In larger quantities, how
ever, or when the manure itself is
spread at a greater rate than Is tons
to the acre, some damage to crops may
result. Large quantities of manure
are often used by market gardeners
and others, and there is always danger
Of carelessness in applying the borax.
The use Of the more expensive but
safer hellebore is therefore recon-
mended for the treatment of manure.
Borax is recommended for all other
refuse in which flies may lay eggs.
Scientists who have been working
for years to eliminate the fly are con-
WINGED that the use of one or the other
these simple measures is public duty
wherever manure and refuse exist
Sanitarisns, however, strongly advise
the removal Of refuse heaps or other
unnecessary rubbish or breeding places
for hies. In breeding places which can
not be thus disposed of, such as man.
ure or stables, the daily use of powd-
cred hellebore will keep the flies from
breeding in these favorite breeding
grounds. The best results are obtain
able in q community where everyone
cleans up his premises, traps or kills
the flies, and systematically treats the
manure and other breeding places with
powdered hellebore.
The fly is not only a nuisance to
human beings and live stock, it spreads
disease and filth and is a menance to
public health which cannot be tolerated
In the face of a demonstrated remedy.
Details of the experiments with other
information on the subject are con-
tanned in professional paper, Bullen-
tin 245 Of the department. Weekly
News Letter.