The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-04-09
FERTILIZER MIX
TURES PREVENT
FLIES BREEDING
Experiments by Specialists Of U. S. De-
,nartment of Agriculture Show Posi-
bility of Increasing Value of Barn
yard Waste While Eliminat-
ing Maggots.

That flies may be prevented from
breeding in bsrnyard manure by adding
to the substance the common fertilizer
ingredients, calcium cyanamid, acid phos-
phate, and kainit, has been demonstrat.
ed by recent experiments made by the
bureau OF entomology and chemistry of
| the I. ). department Of agriculture. The
valuable feature of the discovery is that
| by the new treat the fertilizing val
ne of the manure is increased at the
same time that its menace to health is
lessened Under treatments for pre-.
venting flies breeding in manure hereto
fore in use, the fertilizing value of the
substance has been decreased or not af-
fected.
The fertilizer ingredient indicated by
the experiments to be most effective in
preventing of fly maggots in manure is
calcium cyanamid, compound in which
nitrogen from the airs fixed bv electricity
The Investigations showed the value,
however, of adding other ingredients to
balance properly the chemical effects and
to prevent waste OF fertilizing elements.
Acid phosphate was found to be the sup
Elemental ingredient most needed, but
q still better fertilizer was obtained
when kaint was used also. The three
substances, cyanamid, acid phosphate,
and kainit, give a fertilizer complete |
in itself containing nitrogen, phosphorus,
and potash, as well as lime.
As a result of the experiments, the !
departments specialists advocate the use
of mixtures o. one pound Of cyanmid and |
fun IN of aciH rbn hat |
per four square feet OF surface exposed i
when the manure is in boxes or pits.
When the manure is in open piles the
rate OF applicati should be four pounds !
of cyansmid and four or more pounds
of acid phosphate per eight barrels OF
manure. To be sure OF retaining all
the fertilizing elements, more than four
pounds of acid phosphate are recommend
ed. When kainit is used it may replace
a portion OF phosphate.
When manure from pits treated as
above is applied as fertilizer,
the rate should be nine tons per acre to
provide the amount of cysnsmid calcu.
lated to be most effective. Manure treat
ed in open piles should not be applied
in excess Of two and one half tons per
tGits >titt II ttHAdllls a hluiH NV pNl
OF the commercial fertilizer than
The pit treated product.
Earlier experiments made by the de.
specialists prove that both
porax and helebore are effective in pre-
renting flies from breeding in manure.
he use OF borax was found to const-
ute the cheapest effective treatment,
'osting ono hall cent per bushel of treat
d manure This treatment may lessen
he value OF the manure for agricultural
purposes. however. The hellebOre treat
nent was found to cost about enc cent
yer bushel OF manure, and neither les
ems nor increases the fertilizing value
The treatment with fertilizer ingredi-
nts Just evolved costs from one-half
ent per bushel of manure when treat
nent is in pits to is cents per bushel
9hen the treatment is in open piles. This
ost is based on the normal selling prices
{ the fertilizer ingredients, and is mate
iallv lessened in effect by the increased :
ertilizing efficiency of the treated ma
ure. Not only is the value of the ma
ure increased by the fertilizer ingredi-
nts added but also their presence pre-
ents the waste of certain valuable ele-
tents usually lost from untreated ma
IRE.
In their most recent experiments in
re treatment of manure, the depart
ent's specialists tried numerous other
distances, including sulphur and various
ant infusions. From none OF these,
,wever. were the results as satisfac-
ry as those obtained with the use of
,rax, hellebore, and the fertilizer mix
Tres. Acting on the data gathered from
lie groups of experiments carried on
nee 1913, the specialists recommend
e use of borsx for preventing the
eeding OF flies in manure when the
tier is not to be put to agricultural
e, and the use of either the fertilizer