The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-04
POWDERED HLLEBORE PRE-.
VENTS FLIES BREEDING.

4 " w AAAAN
VENTS FLIES BREEDING.
A safe and effective weapon against
the typhoid or house ny has been found
In powdered h%ellebore. Flies lay their
eggs chiefly in stable manure. Pow
dered hellebore mixed with water and
sprlnkled over the anu will de-
stroy the larve which are Matched
from the eggs Since powdered helle-
bore is readily obtainable this puts
in the hands OF every one a remedy
for one Of the pests that has been
found dangerous a. we'll as trouble
some. Powdered h%ellebore. however.
will not kill adult flies, which must be
swatted or trapped.
II has long been known that hies
breed In manure. but previous methods
Of destroying tho larve by the use
of strong chemicals have been open
70 the objection that the treatment I'M
der some conditions lessened tho fer
tilizing value Of the n or actu-
ally injured vegetation. This IL not
true OF powdered h~ellebore. The helle-
bore Is entirely decomposed in the
course OF the fermentation OF the ma
nure. and even In excessive guam
titles II does no harm except to the
larvTp II Is intended 70 destroy. Chick
ems picking in manure treated with It
suffer no III effects.
One-half pound Of powdered helle-
bore mixed with ten gallons Of water
IL sufficient TO kill the larvae In
eight bushels or ten cubic feet OF
manure. The mixture should be
sprinkled carefully over the pile.
especial attention being paid 70 the
outer edges. In most places helle-
bore Is obtainsble in 100 pound lots
at n cost OF II cents a pound. This
makes the cost OF the treatment q 1T
tie less than seven-tenths Of a cent per
bushel OF manure A liberal estimate
OF the output OF Is two bushels
"A day per horse. The money involved
is. therefore. trifing in comparison
with the benefits to the individual
and tho community from the practi-
cal elimination of the disease spread
ing fly.
Although fresh anu IL the IA
vorite breeding spot. flies lay their
eggs in other places IA well, such az
~outhouses. refuse piles. etc. In these
places, from which no manure Ia 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.S2
pounds per eight bushels OF
torax Is effective az powdered helle-
bore in killing the hrv@ but costs
less than half IA cent for eac bushel
OF manure treated. In larger u
titles. however. or when the manure
itself Ia spread at a greater rate than
fifteen tons to the acre. some dam =
ags to crops may result. Large
quantities OF n are often used
by market gardeners me others. and
there is always danger OF careless
ness in applying the borax. The use
Of the more expensive but safer helle-
bore il therefore recommended for
the treatment Of manure Borax Is
recommended for all other refuse In
which flies may lay eggs.
Scientists Of the United States De
partment OF Agriculture who have
been working for years to eliminate
the fly are convinced that the use OF
one or the other of these simple meas
ures is a public duty wherever manure
and refuse exist. ~Sanitarians, how
ever. strongly advise the emoval OF
refuse heaps or other unnecessary
rubbish or breeding places for flies
In breeding places which cannot be
thus disposed OF. such as manure OF
| stables, the daily use of powdered
, hellebore will keep the files from
, breeding In these favorite breedini
grounds, The best results are obtain,
/, able IN a community where every on
cleans up his premises, traps or kills
the flies and systematically treats thu
manure and other breeding places with
;, powdered hellebore.
The fly Is not only a nuisance L
. human beings and live stock, 1
: spreads disease and fllth and In q
menace to public health which can
l not be tolerated in the face Of 9
demonstrated remedy.