118 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



An individual female fly lays about a hundred 

 eggs. From this it can be seen that a single fly 

 could give rise to many millions during a single 

 summer. 



It cannot be said that house flies are injurious; 

 on the other hand, they do a great amount of good 

 in destroying decaying organic matter. They are 

 however, very troublesome to both man and beast. 

 It is believed by some that germs of disease attach 

 themselves to the bodies of flies and are thus car- 

 ried from place to place. The truth of this theory 

 is possible, tenable, and, indeed, highly probable; 

 for flies are a common nuisance in sick rooms, and 

 germs of disease adhering to them could be carried 

 to, and infect, another person as easily as they 

 could by the body or clothing of a human being. 



Different remedies are proposed. Garbage 

 about the house should be quickly and carefully 

 disposed of. Thorough cleanliness in the house, 

 and careful screening of doors and windows will 

 keep them out to a large extent. Cleanliness here 

 implies that no sweet substances or food be left 

 exposed, for they attract flies in larger numbers 

 than almost anything else. They congregate 

 wherever there is anything for them to eat or to 

 lay their eggs in. 



A stable in which horses are kept will breed 

 enough flies for a whole neighborhood. Stables 

 should be swept clean daily and the refuse matter 

 carted away to the fields and plowed under, or put 



