For many years mulching practices at the Arboretum were carried on only to a limited extent. One reason was that since the Arboretum is adjacent to the Santa Anita Race Track, a great number of residents in the immediate area have always been conscious of flies and have related any kind of mulching and composting with fly infestation. Many times in the past, the Arboretum has been able to obtain manure as well as bedding material from race tracks, yet, despite thorough inspections by the County Health Department, the fly problem has been erroneously blamed on the Arboretum.