Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-04-24

specimens of the Morelos fly had
been discovered on IL premises in
the vicinity Of Mission, McAllen,
Weslaco and Mercedes. One infes-
tation had been found in a tree,
one in a packing plant and the re-
mainder where fruit was stored in
barns or residences, he said.
Bury Fruit
The infeStatiOnS have ranged from
one to % specimens to the fruit,
Ford replied to a question. Most Of
the premises where infestation has
been found were fairly well cleaned
he told another question:. Also he
said one infested fruit had been
found in cold storage but he did
not know the date when it had been
removed from the tree.
The best known method Of de-
stroying fruit is to bury it, being
sure it has at least Is inches of
well packed dirt on top Of the fruit,
the inspector said. Poison sprays
are ineffective because the eggs are
laid under the skin Of the grape
fruit, it was explained.
The cycle Of life Of the fly is
completed in about 80 days and con-
tinues all year, the inspector said.
The egg matches in four to five days
and it remains in the large four to
six weeks, in the pupa II to 80
days and the fly lives about two
weeks. The adult fly is seldom seen,
he said, but described it as about
the size Of a house fly and beaut!-
fully marked with gold and yellow
on its wings.
Fruit displayed in stores is con-
sumed too rapidly to be q source
of infestation, Ford thought.
He believed there was some danger
from fruit thrown out by house
wives.
Found in Matamoros
Damage from the Morelos fly
south OF Mexico City ranges up to
almost 100 per cent, a questioner
was told. Infestation has been found
in MatamoroS and Tampico has been
infested for many years, he said.
Starving is the only method which
has proved effective in the fight
against the pest, it was stated. He
could not say what degree Of heat or
cold would kill the pest. A bulletin
is being prepared by inspectors in
charge of an experiment station IN
Mexico, maintained by the United
States. This bulletin, fully Illus
trated will tell all that is known of
the Morelos fly and will be distrib-
uted free as soon as it is ready, Ford
said.
The Morelos fly or something SIM
liar was discovered in Corpus Christi
about IS years ago, it was brought
out at the meeting, but it died out
there for the lack Of food.
1.-TWO years ago, said Mcdonald,
taking the floor again, "the pest we
are now fighting was known as the
orange magot. This name did not
sound we'll and caused too much adj
verse sentiment so it was changed
and now it is known as the MOrelos
fly. But it is a magot and finding
of it in your fruit will turn the con-
suning public against fruit from
this section"
c. E. Barber of San Benito asked
what effort had been made to learn
the effects Of hot and cold weather
on the fly and whether it was not
possible that a serious infeStation
never would happen in the Valley
regardless Of whether any effort was
made to eradicate the fly. He also
said that host fruit trees had been
cut down by inspectors despite the
objection of the owners. .
Danger to Market
I'VE must take every precaution
to prevent entomologistS of other
states from declaring an embargo
against fruit from the Lower Rio
Grande Valley. said G. K. Reiss,
citrus grower of Mercedes.
"Our real danger lies not in what
the flv NAV do to our fruit. but in
what the other states NAV do to our
markets. We must reassure them
that we are controlling the situation
and that we are doing everything in
our power to prevent spread Of the
fly and that we are succeeding. IN
less we can do this we are facing
serious trouble.
cat the hearing in Washington in
1927 when the fly had lust been
found here, the entonologist Of New
HAMPSHIRE expressed a desire FIR an
embargo AGAINST Texas fruit. There
is no possible danger to his state. as
the fly could not live In that cli-