THE STABLE-FLY 133 



transmitted only by means of the biting 

 Stomoxys, and that it may be directly trans- 

 mitted from one person to another without 

 the aid of any intermediate host. But there 

 seems little doubt that it can be, and is, 

 transmitted by Stomoxys, and therefore it is 

 of the highest importance to reduce the 

 number of these insects. 



The most efficient way of controlling this 

 pest is to destroy or put out of action 

 its breeding-places. All decaying vegetable 

 matter should be either removed or burnt 

 or buried, or covered with some agent which 

 will prevent the larvae living. In fact, the 

 methods that have been advocated for the 

 common house-fly are applicable to Stomoxys. 

 If stable manure were carefully removed, 

 from May to October, at least every seven 

 days, the number of flies would be materially 

 reduced. Where this is impracticable, manure- 

 heaps should be covered with some insecti- 

 cide, so as to destroy the eggs and larvae. 

 Experiments are still being made with the 

 view of finding a substance capable of killing 

 the eggs, larvae, and pupae, which will be 

 at once cheap and unharmful to the fertilising 

 value of the manure. The American experts 

 recommend borax or colemanite (crude calcium 

 borate), calcined, powdered, and applied by 

 a flour-dredger. The proportions which seem 



