PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 165 



CLEANLINESS ABOUT STABLES. 



The writer has been called in on frequent occasions to explain the 

 presence of many flies about stables which were said to be in " perfect 

 condition." Three instances may be mentioned. In one case the inside 

 of the stable was in good condition, the manure being thrown out in a 

 heap and removed every four or five days. It was said that surely no 

 flies could develop under such conditions, inasmuch as it required ten 

 to twelve days to become full fledged flies. The error is evident at 

 once, namely, it requires only four or five days for the maggots to reach 

 their full growth, after which many of them migrate from the manure 

 pile proper into the loose ground underneath or into near-by debris. 

 Removing the manure pile every four or five days, therefore, did not 

 eliminate the trouble; indeed, it was shown that hundreds of maggots 

 were present in pockets under the site of the pile, and furthermore 

 2.561 pupa? were taken with one and three fourths pounds of manure 

 collected at random from underneath a platform leading from the 

 stable. Thus there remained no further question as to the source of the 

 flies in that locality. The second instance seemed to have a better basis 

 for doubt. In this case the stable was provided with a cement floor with 

 good drainage and the manure was thrown every morning directly into 

 a cart and immediately hauled away. Now, where did the swarm of 

 flies come from? Adjoining the stable there was a very small lot in 

 which the horse was frequently set free. No attention, of course, was 

 paid this open lot, and manure collected there which was kept fairly 

 moist with urine and here literally thousands of house fly maggots were 

 developing. Again the problem was solved, the horse lot was thoroughly 

 scraped and thereafter kept clean. The third instance was easily 

 explained in part, and eventually entirely elucidated. In this case it 

 was a certified dairy. Flies were abundant ; where did they come from? 

 The horse stables were found to be partly floored with cement, but the 

 stalls were made of wood planks with wide crevices between. In these 

 crevices manure had collected abundantly and maggots were found 

 there in large numbers. But that was not altogether sufficient to explain 

 the situation. It is. of course, well known that cow manures, unless 

 accumulated to retain moisture, are not favorable breeding places for 

 house fly maggots and none were found. But there is no excuse for not 

 properly disposing of cow manures, inasmuch as the horn fly develops 

 here, one of the most troublesome cattle pests. Further search, how- 

 ever, brought to light the fact that the cattle were being fed at that 

 time on "brewers' grain" much of which remained unconsumed and 

 was "dumped" upon the field as waste. These piles of waste "brewers' 

 grain" were found to be literally alive with fly larvae, and again the 

 mystery was solved. These three instances will suffice to make clear the 

 range of breeding places to a large extent' and also the necessity for 

 careful inspection of premises. 



THE FLY IN THE HOUSE. 



Nearly all efforts thus far to destroy the fly have been directed toward 

 the winged insect, to either destroy it in the house or drive it away. 

 These are certainly laudable efforts, but will only afford in all cases 

 temporary relief. The fly continues to breed, and one fertilized female 

 can be the progenitor of countless thousands of flies in one season. 



