Parasites Affecting PoirLTRY and Methods of Extermination 137 



The following is a home made lice powder: 



Four and one-half pounds of plaster of paris. 



One quart of gasoline. 



Half pint commercial Cresol. 



One pound flax seed meal. 



Mix the gasoline and cresol together, put in some vessel large 

 enough to hold the whole, then mix in all the plaster of paris the 

 liquid will absorb. Spread on boards or sheets of paper to dry; when 

 dry mix in the flax seed meal and store away in cans. The object of 

 the flax meal is to act as retainer to the other ingredients. It holds 

 the powder in the feathers and makes the powder last so much 

 longer. This powder can be used safely on chicks of all ages and on 

 breeding stock too. 



In dusting a fowl a great deal depends on the way it is done. If 

 imperfectly done, the lice will not be all destroyed and will commence 

 to breed again as soon as the first effects of the powder are gone. 

 Work the dust into the feathers thoroughly, then again in one week 

 from the time of the first treatment go over the fowl again and they 

 will be safe for a good long time. The flax meal holds the powder 

 in the feathers and lice cannot get started. 



Mites. — There is but one kind of mite; they look different to most 

 people, some being greyish in color and others red. The fact is they 

 are all red when they have been making a meal of poultry and grey 

 when they are starved out. They are oval in shape and have eight 

 legs. And by the destruction they cause one could almost say they 

 had eight mouths with which to suck. These are real blood-sucking 

 pests and soon rob a flock of hens of their ambition and health. If 

 the blood is the life, these pests sure go after the life of the hens, 

 and if let alone, will drain them dry. 



They breed under perches in filthy floors, cracks and knot holes 

 in wood and wherever dirty, damp conditions are found around the 

 poultry house or yard. 



To get rid of them it is necessary to clean up all old dirty places, 

 boxes, nests and wherever chicken droppings are to be found. For 

 small places where only a few fowls are kept, there is nothing cheaper 

 nor better than a can of Kreso Dip No. 1, obtained at any feed or 

 drug store, directions on can. 



Kerosene Emulsion is also a good spray for poultry houses, and 

 if used about three days in succession no mites will be left to tell the 

 story. Shave one bar of brown laundry soap and put in a boiler with 

 one gallon of water. When soap is dissolved take from fire and pour 

 in gradually two gallons of kerosene, stirring all the while. When 

 about half cold, add one pint of crude carbolic acid and continue the 

 stirring until cold. It should be about as thick as cream and be well 



