372 General Biology 



"As this last amount makes 143,675 bushels of flies resulting from 

 a single pair of flies in three months, one can estimate what the result 

 will be if allowed to breed unrestrained during August and September 

 beside. 



"The common sense question, then, is, why not let this pair of flies 

 catch themselves in May? This rapid increase also means that anything 

 short of extermination is hardly worth the effort. A fly is possessed of 

 no more cunning than shot rolling down a board, and the last pair will 

 run into a trap as easily as the first. Why not let them all catch them- 

 selves?" 



During the winter, especially in cold climes, most of the flies are 

 killed, but probably some maggots pass the winter underground and in 

 stables where it is sufficiently warm, coming forth in the spring when 

 the weather warms up. 



It has often been assumed that burying debris of various kinds 

 would kill the maggots. This is not true as the maggots have crawled 

 up through six feet of earth with which they were covered. 



The best method of handling debris, such as manure, is to spread it 

 on the land daily. This is especially valuable, as manure loses almost 

 half its fertilizing power if stored. The sun will dry it and this will also 

 prevent the moisture which maggots need in order to thrive. However, 

 if this cannot be done, then a solution of iron sulphate (copperas), two 

 pounds to the gallon of water, may be thrown over such matter. 

 Chloride of lime is expensive and the fumes (chlorine) are likely to in- 

 jure the farm animals. 



FLY KILLERS 



The Kansas Board of Health Bulletin gives the following methods 

 of killing flies : 



"A cheap and perfectly reliable fly poison, one which is not danger- 

 ous to human life, is bichromate of potash in solution. Dissolve one 

 dram, which can be bought at any drug store, in two ounces of water, 

 and add a little sugar. Put some of this solution in shallow dishes and 

 distribute them about the house." 



"One of the best fly killers that can be used in the home is a tea- 

 spoonful of formalin in a quarter of a pint of water. When this is 

 exposed in a room it will be sufficient to kill all flies. They seem to 

 be fond of the water. Care should be taken to place it beyond the 

 reach of children." 



"To quickly clean a room where there are many flies, burn 

 pyrethrum powder. This stupefies the flies, when they may be swept 

 up and burned." 



And the Agricultural Extension Department of the International 

 Harvester Company suggests the following ointments and sprays to 

 keep flies away from cattle : 



