Ix WARBLE FLY. 



What can be done to induce farmers to pay greater attention to 

 warble extirpation is a problem very difficult to solve, but personally I 

 put great confidence in the simple measure of dissemination of plain 

 and true information. It has only been in the last few years that 

 sound practical knowledge has been attainable for general agricultural 

 use on warble matters, and now it is equally as certain that the 

 information is doing good in many places as it is that the subject is 

 by no means receiving the general attention it deserves. 



Whilst these observations were going to press I was favoured, in 

 the course of communication with Mr. W. H. Hill, President of the 

 Sheffield Butchers' Association (and from whom I have received at 

 various times valuable information), with the following remark, which 

 unfortunately describes the state of things only' too truly : — 



" I have often discussed the matter with farmers, but as a class, 

 whilst admitting the evil, and further admitting it is inexpensive to 

 cure and simple of treatment, yet it is 'too much trouble,' or 'cattle 

 always were so affected,' or 'they are too busy with other things'; 

 with the result that, whilst agriculture is, in their opinion, going to 

 the dogs, and the bulk of them, they say, on the verge of bankruptcy, 

 yet they, taking farmers as a whole, are rich enough to throw away 

 several million pounds yearly in the reduced value of their cattle due 

 to this pest."— W. H. H. 



The matter seems to stand something in this way. On the farms 

 this attack, unless in its fully-developed state, and to an unusual 

 extent, is often what may be called a " hidden evil." From ignorance 

 and idleness and utter carelessness, even when the beasts are sickened 

 with it, the cause is often overlooked. But how this can be met by any 

 outside influence is the difficulty. " Inspection " is sometimes spoken 

 of, but it is not clear how this could be brought to bear on an attack 

 of this sort, where the presence of the warbles may very likely indeed 

 not be observable all at one time, even on one beast, much less on all 

 through a district, but may show gradually, according to date of egg- 

 laying and circumstances of treatment, as in- or out-of-doors feeding 

 of the animal, &c. 



The point where it appeals to me (under correction of those who 

 understand the bearings of the case far better than myself) is, with 

 regard to badly- warbled beasts sold for slaughter, whether, so far as 

 direct losses to butchers go fi-om "licked beef," i.e., state of carcase 

 and coincident bad state of hide, something might not be done by 

 inspection. It need not be " governmental." In this sense mOot of us, 

 I believe, would quite endorse Mr. Hill's remark now before me, " I 

 am afraid ' inspectors ' would be a nuisance, for we have too much red 

 tape as it is " ; but if the butchers could be spirited up to inspect the 

 animals thoroughly themselves before purchase, or to employ a man to 



