EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 145 



galls themselves are less than one-sixteenth of an inch in size, and if they were 

 black instead of yellowish white, they would closely resemble small bird shot. The 

 curious part about the matter is the lively nature of the galls. When the specimens 

 were first received, about a teaspoonful were emptied out on a clean paper and they 

 immediately commenced jumping about, looking something like miniature corn 

 popping. They threw themselves straight up into the air for about half an incfi, very 

 many times their own diameter, with the most astonishing vigor. This jumping with- 

 out legs gives the performance rather a strange appearance. On opening one of the 

 tiny balls, it was found to consist of ft very thin papery shell, enclosing a minute white 

 irriib. and it is the sudden and convulsive movement of this grub that causes the 

 jumping. Tiie amount of strength required to throw itself to such a height when 

 closely confined in a tight shell is something amazing. 



The use of this power or habit is quite apparent; the galls being very delicate and 

 fragile would stand a poor chance if left on the surface of the ground where animals are 

 constantly walking, and being so small and seed-like, might even be eaten by birds; the 

 jumping causes them to be sifted into cracks and crannies, Avhere they are protected 

 and where they can pass the winter in comparative safety. 



The name oif this curious insect is IS! euroterus q-saltatorius, H. Edw.* 



2L ANTS IN CORKS. 



(Camponotus herculaneus, var. pennsylvanicus.) 



On August 27, 1898. a peculiar speciinen was received from the Sprudel Salt Co. of 

 Mt. Clemens. A bottle that had contained mineral water had been attacked by ants 

 and a passage bored through the cork of sufficient size to allow the contents to 

 escape. Several of the ants were found inside the empty ])ottle. They proved 

 on examination to be Camponotus herculaneus, var. pennsylvanicus. As the damage 

 did not occur at the works of the company, but in a small village in another state, 

 it was impossible to get very much information in regard to the details and extent 

 of the trouble. 



The species is one of our conunon wood-boring ants, a large black insect found in 

 old or decaying logs and stumps, and occasionally in the timbers of our houses. As 

 a remedy to be used in case the trouble should become serious, it was' suggested 

 by the writer that the tops of the bottles be dipped in melted sealing wax or resin to 

 form a coat distasteful to the insects. 



CARBON-BISULPHIDE FOR INSECTS IN SEEDS AND GRAINS. 



Seeds infested with insects, such as weevils, grain-beetles, meal beetles, etc., ordi- 

 narily are best freed from the pests by the use of carbon-bisulphide. 



A careful germination test of beet seed treated with this liquid was made to 

 determine definitely whether it was safe to thus treat beet seed in order to rid it of any 

 insects that might" infest it. Three separate lots of seed were exposed to two different 

 strengths of the gas for different lengths of time. 



In lot No. 1. 100 fruits, each containing from one to seven true seeds, were 

 exposed for twenty four hours to the gas at the rate of two drams of the liquid to a 

 cubic foot of air space. 



In lot No. 2, 100 fruits were placed in an atmosphere saturated with the gas for 

 twenty- four hours. 



In iot No. 3, 100 fruits were placed in a jar without any of the liquid, as a check on 

 the others. 



In lot No. 4, 100 fruits were placed in an atmosphere saturated with the gas for 

 forty-eight hours. 



The seeds employed were \'ilmorin's Improved. 



After the seeds had been subjected to the action of the gas for the required time, 



* \ii nndetermineil T'tcnnnaliil and Ti'trasticliiis sp. were bred from this jjall. They were determined 

 by .Mr. Win. .\8hmcail <pf the Dt'iit. of Agr.. Washington, I>. C, through the kindness of Dr. Howard. 



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