The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-04-03
HOW
DESTROY
FLIES
Government Experts Give Some
Directions for Fighting Pest
and Preventing the Spread Of
Typhoid and Other Diseases.
Insects Lay Eggs In Manure, 80 II
Should Be Treated to Kill CRUDE
Powdered Hcilebore 10 Best When
Properly Used In Spraying Liquid.

A safe and effective weapon against
the typhoid or house fly has beer
found in powdered hellebore by scien,
lists of the department of agriculture
Flies lay their eggs chiefly In stable
manure. Powdered helleb0re mixed
with water and sprinkled over the
manure will destroy the larvae which
are Matched from the eggs. Since pow
dered hellebore is readily ~0btainable,
this puts in the hands of everyone q
remedy for n of the pests that has
been found dangerous as well as trou-
blesome. Powdered hellebore, how
ever, 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 treat.
ment under some conditions lesseled
the fertilizing value Of the manure or
actually injured vegetation, This IL
not true of powdered hellebore. Gov
eminent experiments have shown that
the hellebore is entirely decomposed
in the course of the fermentation Of
the manure and that even in excessive
quantities it does no harm except to
the larvae it is intended to destroy.
Chickens picking in anu treated
with ~ c,,fFon mn III oAooS, 49,. --.E
One-half pound of powdered helle-
bore mixed with ten gallons Of water
is sufficient to kill the larvae in eight
bushels, or ten cubic feet of manure.
The mixture should be sprinkled care
fully owe the pile, especial attention
being paid to the outer edges. In most
places hellebore is obtainable 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 bushel Of manure.
A liberal estimate of the output OF
manure is two bushels a day per
horse. The money involved Ii, there
fore, trifing in comparison with tho
benefits to the individual and the COM
from the practical elimination
Of the disease-spreading fly.
Although fresh manure is the IA
vorlte breeding spot, flies lay their
eggs In other places as we'll, such as
outhouses, refuse piles, etc, In these
from which nc manur is taken
to spread on the fields, considerable
may be effected through the
substitution Of borax for powdered
hellebore. Applied at the rate of O.82
per eight bushels Of manure,
oorax is as effective as powdered helle-
bore In killing the larvae but costs
ess than half a cent for each bushel
If manur treated. In larger qpAA=
tiles, however, or when the manure
tself is spread at a greater rate than
% tons to the acre, some damage to
'rops may result. Large quantities
# manure are often used by market
gardeners and others, and there Is al.
Ways danger of carelessness in apply
ng the borax. The use Of the more
expensive but safer hellebore II there
ore recommended for the treatment
f manure Borax is recommended
or all other refuse In which flies
nay lay eggs.
Scientists who have been working
or years to eliminate the fly are con
inced that the use of one or the other
t these simple measures Is a public
uty wherever anu and refuse eX-
It. S%anitarians, however, strongly ad-
Use the removal Of refuse heaps or
Their unnecessary rubbish or breeding
laces for flies. In breeding places
'hich cannot be thus disposed Off,
UGH as manure Or stables=s-the daily
Sc of powdered heIlebore will keep
lie flies from breeding in these IA
orite breeding grounds. The best n
Its are obtalnable in a community
here everyone cleans up his prem
es, traps or kills the flies, and sys-
'm~atically treats the manure and 9th.
breeding places with powdered
The fly is not only a nuisance to
imam beings and live stock; 1t :
,reads disease and filth and Is a
enace to public health which cannot
!, tolerated In the face Of a demon.
rated remedy. Details of the expert
ents with other information on the
Ibject are contained In a profession.
paper, Bulletin 245 Of the United
ofon dolan nfnaonf oH a n,,i oa.lAssan