314 



consist of wooden boxes of about one foot in each dimension with, 

 a loose gable-shaped roof to exclude the rain. In winter, the traps 

 should be filled with damp, but not wet, stable manure and dry weeds 

 and straw, while in summer, the manure, which is used principally 

 for its heat, may be omitted. These traps, of which there should 

 be at least 25 to the acre of 100 trees, should be set near the trees, 

 one to every other tree in alternate rows, about 4 feet away from the 

 trunk ; they should be placed upon a slight elevation. When full 

 of ants and ready for fumigation, the lids should be removed, 2 fluid 

 ounces of carbon bisulphide poured into each and airtight galvanised 

 iron covers slipped on, being banked with soil to retain the gas. An 

 hour's fumigation is sufiicient to kill all stages of ants within the 

 traps and in the underlying soil, after which the contents should be 

 spread out on the ground and the traps turned up to air for several 

 hours before resetting. From 5 to 8 fumigations at intervals of 

 about one month will be necessary to reduce the ants to a negligible 

 quantity. 



Reinfestation may be prevented by means of barrier ditches, for 

 which purpose drainage ditches may be adapted by clearing them of 

 weeds and providing them with divided bridges which the ants cannot 

 cross. 



Although the use of poisoned baits cannot be recommended as a 

 substitute for trapping, they may be employed in special cases, a 

 poisoned syrup being placed in fruit jars, the lids of which have a hole 

 pierced in the centre. The jars should be laid on their sides with a piece 

 of sponge inside to render it easier for the ants to reach the poison. 

 The best mixture consists of 8 lb. granulated sugar dissolved in ^ 

 U.S. gal. cold water, to which is added 4|- oz. chloral hydrate crystals, 

 previously dissolved in a small quantity of water, and about | lb. 

 strained honey. 



If chloral hydrate cannot be obtained, sodium arsenite may be 

 substituted, the mixture being made by dissolving 62 grains of tar- 

 taric acid crystals in 3| U.S. pints water, to which is then added 8 lb. 

 granulated sugar and the whole boiled until the sugar is dissolved. 

 When cool, 200 grains of sodium arsenite (or 172 grains white arsenic), 

 previously dissolved in J U.S. pint hot water and cooled, is added, 

 together with | to | lb. strained honey. The tartaric acid prevents the 

 souring of the arsenical s}T"up, which the ants take very slowly. 



Andrews (E. A.). Cultural Control. — Qtrly. Jl. Scient. Dept. Ind. Tea 

 Assoc, Calcutta. 1917, part 4, 1918J pp. 120-124. [Received 

 24th May 1918.] 



The author pleads for a fuller utilisation of cultural methods directed 

 against insects in tea gardens. The chief of these is deep hoeing, 

 which is effective, cheap and easy, and which, systematically carried 

 out year by year, destroys the larvae of Xyleho-rus fornicatiis (shot- 

 hole borer beetle) in such numbers that the pest becomes compara- 

 tively negligible. Hoeing also stimulates the bushes and helps them 

 to resist attacks of Helopeltis theivora (tea mosquito), Tetranychus 

 hioculatus (red spider), Aphids and thrips. Forking round the bushes 

 also gives good results, especially when all grubs and pupae found 

 are collected bv hand. 



