HOUSE FLY PEST.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 5, 19 January 1915, Page 4

HOUSE FLY PEST.

Borax as a Preventive.

I The housefly pest we have always with ua in summer, and both lor bygenic reasons and personal comfort, to say nothing of the comfort of domestic stock, these persistent teasers and disease disseminators should be suppressed. How best to do this is the problem in the Old World as well as here; but there ia hope. As a result of experiments, the specialists of the United States Department of Agriculture have discovered that a small amount of ordirary borax sprinkled daily on manure will effectvely prevent the breeding of the typhoid or house fly. Similarly, the same substance appiled to garbage, refuse, open toilet', damp floors, and crevices in stable*, cellars, or markets will prevent fly eggs from hatching. Borax will not kill the adult fly, nor prevent, it from laying eggs, but its thorough use will prevent any further breeding. The investigation, which included experiments with many substances, was discover some means of preventing the breeding of flies in horse manure without lessening the value of this mauure as a fertiliser for use by the farmer. It was felt that if some means of preventing the breeding of flies rear a human habitation could be devised, the disease spread by these flltby germ camera could be greatly reduced. While various devices for reducing the number of tvphuid-carrying flies are of value, they are of less importance than the prevention of tha breeding. It was realised, however, that no measure for preventing the breeding of flies would come into common use unless it was auch that the farmer could use it on his manure pile without destroying iti usefulness for growing plants, and without introducing into the soil any substance that would interfere with I his crops.

In experiments carried out in Virginia and Mew Orleans the investigators found that 0.62 ot a pound of borax, or 0.75 of a pound of calcined colemanite (crude calcium borate) would kill the maggots and prevent practically all of the- flies ordinarily breeding in eight bushels of horse manure from developing. This was proved by placirg manure in cages, and comparing the results from piles treated with borax and from untreated piles. The borax, it was found, killed the fly fggs and maggots in the mauure, and prevented their growth into fließ. In the cases of garbage caos or refuse piles, two ounces ot borax or cilcined colemanite, costing from 2Jd per lb upwards, according to the quantity purchased, effectually prevented flies from breeding. The investigator pointed out that while it can be safely stated that no injurious action has followed the application of manure treated with borax at the rate of .621b for eight bushels or even larger amounts in the case of some plants, nevertheless borax-treated manure has not been studied in connection with the growth of all crops, nor has its cumulative effect been determined. It is, therefore, recommended that not more than 15 tons of the borax treated manure should be applied per acre to the field. As market gardeners use considerably more than '> this amount, it is suggested that all cars containing borax-treated manure be so marked, acd that public health officials stipulate in "their directions for this treatment that not over ,620b. for eight tuehels of manure be used, as it has been shown that larger amounts of borax will injure'moat plants. It is also recommended that all public health officials and others in recommending borax treatment for killing fly eggs and maggots in manure, warn tbe public against the injurious effects of large a mounts of borax on the growth of plants. Purchasers of manure produced in cities during tbe flybrecding season should insist that the dealers from whom they purchase give them a certified statement as to whether or not the manure in the particular car or lot involved in the purchase has been treated with borax. In feeding to pigs garbage that contains borax care is also recommended, especially when the animals are being fattened for marke*. Borax is not a very poisonous substance, and the feeding of garbage that contains it to hogs is not likely to be a serious matter. On the other hand, borax if) large' quantities does produce gastric disturbances, and for this reason a certain amount of care ia advisable. The method for using this substance in the case of stables is to sprinkle tbe borax or colemanite iu the quantities given above by means of a flour sifter or other fine sieve around the outer edges of the pile of horse manure. The mtrnure should then be sprinkled immediately with two or three gallons of water to eight bushels of manure. It is essential, however, to sprinkle a little or' the borax on the manuie, as it is added daily to the pile, instead .of waiting until a full pile is obtained, because this will prevent the egg* which the flies lay bn fresh manure from hatching. As the iiy maggots congregate at the outer edge of the manure pile, most of the borax should be sprinkled there. With borax costing 2Ad or 3d per lb in Washington, it is estimated that it would cost only id' per horse par day to prevent all breeding of flies in city stables. If calcined colemanite is purchased in large shipments this cost should be considerably less. At tbe eame time, if the borax is used on the manure only in the proportions stated, its value for use in tbe garden or for sale to farmers will not be lessened. In view of th ! B discovery, the investigators add, there now seems little cacusc for any horse-owner or resident of a city allowing typhoid flics to breed in his stable or garbage can.