74 
Very many other dressings have been recorded as found to 
answer, and in the foregoing pages observations are given of 
various easy methods of destroying the Warble Fly maggot by 
stifling it in its cell, poisoning it, &c.; but yet another method 
which, when circumstances allow (such as condition of the hide, 
and open state of warble), is probably the best of all, namely, 
squeezing out the maggot, and thus getting entirely rid of it at once. 
This method of treatment (that is, of destroying the maggots 
by squeezing them out of the warbles) deserves especial attention, 
as it can be brought to bear practically on warble prevention at 
little or no cost, with absolute proof of the amount of work done, 
by amount of maggots produced, and so successfully that we can 
show by yearly reports the much lessened number of the pests to 
be found in one year, where in the preceding year the maggots had 
been cleared, and also, on the broad-scale view, the satisfaction of the 
cattle-owners concerned at the improved state of things, including 
quietness of cattle and more milk in summer, and less loss on hides. 
The treatment in the district under observation has been the 
work of the boys of the Aldersey Grammar School at Bunbury, Tarporley, 
Cheshire, at first under the suggestion and instruction of the Head 
Master, Mr. W. Bailey, but continued also from the benefit accruing 
to the cattle and thence to their owners. 
The majority of the boys of the school are sons of farmers, and 
the returns therefore show the benefit of the treatment, whether 
on the broad scale of the many head of cattle owned by tenants of 
large farms under the Duke of Westminster or other great land- 
owners, or to the one or two cows of a small holder, to whom the 
health of his animals is even more important. 
It was begun in 1885 : the boys were shown the warbles, told 
their history, and begged to bring w T hat they could find ; amongst 
them, one pupil alone brought in 250, and iu the following year , 
when he examined his father’s and his brother’s stock (numbering 
114 head of cattle), he found no warbles, excepting on young cattle 
which had not been dressed because they were out in the fields. 
So year by year the work continued. The boys examined the 
cattle at the time when the maggots were beginning to be in a state 
to remove, and brought them in to Mr. Bailey, who noted numbers 
and details, and gave me the results yearly in tabulated form until 
the pest was nearly stamped out. These gave in separate columns 
the names of the finders, the number of stock examined,—ranging 
in the table before me from a single cow up to eighty-six,—and 
also the amount of warbles on cow, calf, or heifers. From these 
