12 FARMERS^ BULLETIN 862. 



An experiment typical of many others is given in Table II. 



Table II. — Relation of the Argentine ant to the natural control of the mealybug. 

 Experiments at Sierra Madrc, Cal., July to October, 1916. [Percentage of 

 fruit infested tvith the mealybug on each tree. Twenty orange trees to each 

 test.] 



I. NO INSECTICIDAL TREATMENT. 



I Only 8 infested fruit on entire 10 banded trees. 

 II. TREES SPRAYED WITH WATER ON JULY 25. 



HOW. TO KEEP ANTS OFF OF TREES. I 



To free trees of ants the ideal procedure would be to eradicate I 

 these insects from the area affected. The writers liaA^e not carried , 

 on any such tests, but the published results of work carried on by 

 the Department of xVgriculture against the Argentine ant^ would 

 indicate the feasibility of freeing orchards of this pest. 



The procedure followed with noteworthy success in municipal 

 control work was the distribution throughout the affected area of a 

 poisoned sirup in a suitable container. A paraffined paper bag, with 

 perforations for the passing of ants, containing about a gill of sirup, 

 was used as a container for nailing to trees. 

 The sirup is made as follows : 



Granulated sugar pounds 15 



Water pints__ 7 



Tartaric acid (crystallized) ounce i 



Boll for 30 minutes. Allow to cool. 



Dissolve sodium arsenite (C. P.) ounce__ f 



In hot water pint-- 1 



Cool. Add poison solution to simp and stir welL Add to the 

 poisoned sirup: 



Hone.v pounds__ IJ 



Mix thoroughly. 



1 Barber, E. R. The Argentine Ant : Distribution and Control in t"he United States. 

 U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 377. 2.S p.. 4 fiR. 191(1. Newell. Wilmon, and Barber, T. C. The 

 Argentine Ant. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Ent. Bui. 122. 98 p., 13 pi., 13 fig. 1913. 



