144 SOME SOUTH INDIAN INSECTS, ETC. [CHAP. XIV. 



similar effect ECainit is also said to act as a deterrent, although 

 there seems to be little actual evidence on this point. If irrigation 

 is not practicable, shallow trenches may be dug and filled with any 

 dead vegetable matter {e.g., branches, dead leaves, old cholam 

 stalks) to attract the Termites from the adjacent crops as far as 

 possible and, when this object is effected, the contents of the 

 trenches may be set on fire to destroy the Termites wholesale. But, 

 as a rule, very little can be clone unless the nests can be located 

 and destroyed, and this is very rarely possible, as they may be ten 

 or twelve feet below ground and give no indication whatever of 

 their presence. In the case of buildings, constructional limber 

 which will be exposed to attack should be treated before it is 

 placed in position, either with one of the various specifics advertised 

 in the market or by soaking in a solution of Sodium Arsenite for a 

 couple of days followed by a good coat of tar when quite dry. If 

 Termites make their way into a house, as they often do when the 

 bricks are of poor quality or badly laid, the only thing is to open 

 Up their galleries and to endeavour to inject poisonous fumes with 

 a special machine so as to reach and poison the queen if possible. 

 It is of very little use, in all cases, to kill a small number of the 

 foraging parties, workers and soldiers, and to expect a remission of 

 attack thereafter; unless the nest can be readied and the queen 

 killed, no permanent results will be achieved ; but by the use of 

 deterrents, it is sometimes possible to get crops over a critical 

 period after which they are less or not at all liable to attack. 



