The Devils Lake world and inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1915-1920, 1915-07-01
POWDERED HELLE-
BORE TO PREVENT.
FLIES BREEDING
NEW AND SAFE METHOD OF
DESTROYING THE LARVAE OF
THE PEST DISCOVERED.

Washington, d. CA safe and effec-
tive weapon against the typhoid or
house fly has been found in powdered
hellebore by scientists Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. Flies lay their
eggs chiefly in stable manure. Pow
dered hellebore mixed with water and
sprinkled over the manure, will des-
troy the larvae which are Matched from
the eggs. Since powdered hellebore is
readily o%btainable, this puts in the
hands of every one a remedy for n
of the pests that has been found dam
gerous as we'll as troublesome. Pow
dered h%ellebore, however, does not kill
the adult flies which must be swatted
or trapped.
1t has long been known that flies
breed in the manure but previous
methods of destroying the larvae there
by the use Of strong chemicals have
been open to objection that the treat
ment under some conditions lessened
the fertilizing value of the manure or
actually injured vegetation. This is
not true Of powdered hellebore. Gov
eminent experiments hav shown that
the hellebore is entirely decomposed
in the course of the fermentation of
the manure and that ever in excessive
quantities it does no harm except to
the larvae it is intended to destroy.
Chickens picking in manure treated
with it suffer no ill effects.
One-half pound of powdered helle-
bore mixed with 10 gallons of water
is sufficient to kill the larvae in 8 BUSH
els, or 10 cubic feet Of manure. The
mixture should be sprinkled carefully
over the pile, especial attention being
paid to the outer edges. In most
places hellebore is obtainable in 100
pound lots at a cost of IL cents a
pound. This makes the cost of the
treatment a little less than seven
tenths of a cent per bushel of manure.
A liberal estimate of the output OF ma
nure is two bushels a day per horse.
The money involved is, therefore, trit1-
ing in comparison with the benefits to
the individual and the community
from the practical elimination Of the
disease-spreading fly.
Although fresh marure is the favor
lite 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 is TAX
en- to spread on the fields, considera-
BILE saving may be affected through the
substitution of borax for powdered
hellebore. Applied at the rate of O.62
pounds per s bushels of manure, borax
is as effective as powdered hellebore
in killing the larvae but costs less than
half a cent for each bushel of manure
treated. In larger quantities, howev-
err, or when the manure itself is spread
at 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 danger of
carelessness in applying the borax.
The use of more expensive but safer
hellebore is therefore recommended
for the treatment of manure. Borax
is recommended for all the other re-
fuse 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
of these simple measures is a public
duty wherever manure and refuse ex-
list. Sanatarians, however, strongly
advise the removal of refuse
heaps or other unnecessary rubbish or
breeding places which cannot be thus
disposed of-such as or sta
bles-the daily use of powdered helle-
bore will keep the flies from breeding
in these favorite breeding grounds
The best results are obtainable in a
community where every one cleans uI
his premises, traps or kills the bies
and Systematically treats the manure
and other breeding places with pow.
dered h%ellebore.
The fly is not only a nuisance to hu
man beings and live stock; it spreads
disease and filth and is a mena tx
.pubIic health which cannot he tolerat,