Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 159, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 July 1915 — A Fly Town. [ARTICLE]

A Fly Town.

San Vicente, Mexico, is a community of fly catchers. It lies in the Sierra Madre mountains and its industry consists in catching flies for a European market where compressed fly cakes are used as bird food. The Mexicans harvest their crop on a marsh which breeds millions of black flies somewhat larger than the common house fly. During the season the peons go among the swarms of insects with nets. ■Each catch is emptied into a bag and at the end of the day the bags are emptied into a box which is also a press. A cover Is placed on it and pressed down and weighted with heavy stones. After 24 hours the contents are pressed into a layer. This is cut into six-inch cubes and dried In the sun and is "then ready for export. A special tariff on the Importation of these cakes is levied by Germany, where most of them go. The San Vincente community almost lives on this unique industry.—Technical World.