14 BULLETIN 377, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



been invaded. None of the stores along Bay Street, near which were 

 no trees, had been bothered by the ants. All the jars were recharged. 



In November conditions were very satisfactory. Comparatively 

 few ants were to be seen, and these were mostly on the trees. No 

 ants w T ere to be found in the sirup room of bottling establishment A, 

 and there were A*ery few in the vicinity of the building. There were 

 very few ants on the trees in one block. By far the largest number 

 of ants were to be found around the building in which bottling estab- 

 lishment B had been located. People in the house next to this build- 

 ing w ? ere being considerably troubled. 



In January, 1914, all the jars were recharged and 150 paper bags 

 containing the poisoned sirup were distributed over the infested area. 



On April 7 a thorough inspection was made, and the numbers of 

 ants were found to be greatly reduced. Nowhere had the ants caused 

 any annoyance. There were very few ants on any of the trees. In 

 several places native ants had again taken up their abode within the 

 infested area, indicating that the Argentine species w r as dying out. 



In the latter part of May the jars were recharged and 300 poison 

 bags placed in suitable locations. An inspection at that date proved 

 that the experiment was continuing very satisfactorily. 



Native ant nests could be found dotted over the whole area. The 

 largest number of Argentine ants was found around the abandoned 

 building of bottling establishment B ; in fact, this was the only place 

 where the ant could be found in large numbers. 



An inspection on June 29 indicated that the experiment was pro- 

 gressing favorably. The numbers of Argentine ants around bot- 

 tling establishment B had greatly decreased, it being actually diffi- 

 cult to find them on these premises. Not a vestige of the infestation 

 could be found on three of the blocks. 



In mid-September the territory was again inspected. The condi- 

 tions were found to be excellent. Scarcely an Argentine ant could 

 be seen in any part of the once-infested territory. 



Everyone living in the formerly infested area was of the opinion 

 that the Argentine ants . had been completely eradicated, but the 

 writer found a few workers. However, he decided to consider the 

 experiment concluded, for the time at least. It was possible that 

 the queens were all destroyed and that just a few workers remained. 

 Theje was also the possibility of the native ants finally exterminating 

 the Argentine species. 



The poisoned sirup had finally proved efficient, though it must be 

 stated that it was necessary to expose it both indoors and out. 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE NICKELS SIRUP. 



In the tests with the Nickels sirup a number of objectionable 

 features were encountered which finally led to the preparation of a 



