THE MEXICAN ORANGE MAGGOT 



327 



nionly in this wild state and the mango occasionally. While these trees are 

 often visited by the natives in the fruit season, yet it would be practically im- 

 possible to destroy the infested fruit from this class of trees for two reasons : 

 because there would surely be many trees which would escape discovery, and 

 because the native Indian would seldom, if ever, take the trouble to put into 

 [iractice these measures of fighting the pest. These difficulties are not as great 

 in Yautepec, however, as in Cuernavaca and many other places, and therefore 

 the application of these measures have been quite possible. The principal 

 orchards are planted in approximate rows, making cultivation feasible, and 

 as a result of this the weeds can be kept out much more easily. Nearly all 

 the fences are of wire, a few of stone, and almost none are hedges. This 

 much has been done in the largest part of Yautepec. Burning was sug- 



Figure 122. 



One of the incinerating furnaces as original!}' built for this work. 

 report of Cal. Horticultural Commission.) 



(Copied from 



gested as the best method for killing the larvje in the fruit. For this purpose 

 large ovens or fireplaces were built, about six or eight feet square and about 

 six feet high. A grate was fastened in two feet from the bottom under which 

 a fire could be made and on to which the worm-infested fruit could be dumped. 

 For several years this method of burning bad fruit was used more or less 

 thoroughly with avowedly good results, but how much the ovens are used 

 now may be inferred from their condition as shown in the accompanying 

 photograph. If the daily cleaning up of fallen fruit were enforced today a 

 photograph of fallen mangoes such as is shown herewith would not be possi- 

 ble. The fact of the whole matter is this : fighting the pest was carried on 



