No. 115.] 131 



they were ir^t observed wden the cotisiu^nraent was? received, nor 

 until the hams had been smoked for market. It was suggested 

 that thej might have been present, but not detected from their 

 similarity of color to the cured meat before its smokino-. 



In home-prepared hams the mites may have migrated from some 

 neighboring infested cheese, or from musty flour barrels. 



No harm could result from the use of the ham in which these 

 mites are present. Most of them would be upon the surface and 

 could be removed by washing or scraping. Tlie others that remain 

 would be destroyed in cooking and rendered entirely itiuocuous. 



Remedy. — Washing with hot soap-suds, as above stated, fails to 

 arrest the attack. It might destroy most of the mites, but would 

 not kill the eggs, protected as they are by the fatty matter among 

 which they are placed, and the peculiar mould-like powder thickly 

 covering them when the attack has been loJig continued, consisting of 

 the cast skins, egg-shells and excremental matter of the mites, 

 fragments of meat, and spores of microscopic fungi. Nor would 

 re-smoking afford the desired relief, as shown by experiments made 

 with the New York meats. 



Perhaps the most simple and eflectual method of arresting the 

 attack would be to remove, either by brushing or by scraping, al^ 

 the loose, powdery material which accumulates upon the surface 

 of the meat, as the result of the operations of the mites, and then 

 dip it, for about a half minute, in a wash of one part of carbolic 

 acid dissolved in ten of alcohol and diluted with ninet}' of water. 

 The alcohol would serve to carry the carbolic acid to the eggs and 

 the one per cent of the acid, which is of sufficient strength to kill 

 the eggs with which it comes in contact, would at the same time 

 not render the meat dangerous for use. It is believed that even 

 double the quantity of the carbolic acid could be used with safety, 

 if found necessary. 



A Severe Attack on Potatoes. 

 By Myriopoda, etc. 



Frequent complaints of injuries to various crops from Myriopoda, 

 or thousand-legged worms, is made to this department, although 

 not embraced within the range of entomological study. The 

 injuries committed by them, however, is so similar to those result- 



