Insect Enemies and Allies 



205 



The scab 

 mile in 

 sheep 



extending about a hun- 

 dred miles inland to the 

 desert (Fig. 160). 



Sheep as well as cattle 

 suffer from parasites, 

 the one most harmful 

 to sheep being a very 

 small mite that pro- 

 duces a disease called 

 " scab." Thousands of 

 sheep lose their wool 

 before shearing time on 

 account of scab. Dip- 

 ping in a tank of to- 

 bacco extract and sulfur 

 (or lime-sulfur) is the 

 remedy for this trouble. 



One of the pests that 

 causes a great deal of 

 trouble for stockmen is 

 the fly that lays its eggs 



in the open sores of animals, causing screw worms. All 

 kinds of animals should be carefully watched, and any 

 hurts should be covered with tar to keep flies away. 

 If maggots get into a sore, they can be killed with 

 chloroform. 



The flea sometimes becomes a source of danger to Carriers of 

 mankind. It is the carrier of an Asiatic disease called 

 11 bubonic plague." Fleas that have bitten a person hav- 

 ing this disease are capable of giving it not only to another 

 person, but to rats. Since the fleas may pass from 



17. *.!>.*. The 



FIG. 159. A dipping .tank made of con- screw worm 

 crete. Here sheep are being dipped to kill 

 the mite that causes scab. 



dlsease 



