66 
Mr. Thompson further noted that he had been told it was a 
common practice to wash the cows’ backs with pickling brine, the 
application being used two or three times during the season:— 
“ In this part large farmers keep what is called the pickling-tub, 
wherein they put beef and mutton ; the brine is made with salt 
and water, salt being added till an egg will float. This is an old 
remedy, and I think a good one, as I think the egg would be 
destroyed immediately it was placed in the skin.” 
He also favoured me with the following recipe, which I have 
quoted in my leaflet on Warble Fly (of which a hundred and 
seventy thousand have been issued), and which is reported as 
answering excellently, and that the cattle so dressed were allowed 
to graze in peace without being started off at the tearing gallop 
injurious to flesh and milk, and likewise to health of cows in 
calf:— 
“ I have used and also recommend the following mixtures as a 
preventive:—Flour of sulphur, 4 oz.; spirits of tar, 1 gill; train 
(whale) oil, 1 quart. Mix well together, and apply along the spine 
of the cow once a week with a small brush. The smell drives off 
the flies, and prevents them depositing their eggs, and the cattle 
are left at peace to graze, and warbles thus prevented.”—(H. T.) 
The following note is one of the reports of satisfactory effect of 
Mr. Thompson’s recipe sent me (in this case by Mr. H. J. Hillard, 
of Holland, North Currey, Taunton):— 
“ I should have written you before as to the effect of dressing 
for fly, but thought I would wait and make quite sure as to the 
results. I prepared mixture as you recommended, id est, 4 oz. 
flower of sulphur, 1 gill spirits of tar, and 1 quart of train oil, and 
applied the same to sixteen beasts. The effect was very marked; 
previously they had been galloping about all the day, continually 
getting out of the field and giving much trouble thereby ; since, not 
one of them has got out, and the men who were making hay in 
adjoining fields, and had full opportunity of watching them, tell 
me that since being dressed they have scarcely run about at all. I have 
since applied the same mixture to the whole of the beasts on my 
farm, and am so well satisfied with this application that I have not 
tried either of the other recipes.” 
Train oil, applied as mentioned by Mr. St. John Ackers in the 
following note, has also been reported as answering excellently as 
a preventive of attack :— 
“I venture to give my experience of many years. If cattle 
that are turned out into the fields (those that are in sheds escape 
