THE ARGENTINE ANT: DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL. 13 



composition had taken place in the sirup in the jars, a very disagree- 

 able odor being given off. As many of the jars as could be found were 

 collected. These were thoroughly cleaned, especially the sponges, 

 which were washed in boiling water. Fresh sirup was prepared and 

 the jars recharged and again distributed. 



The jars were again recharged in October. At this time, though 

 the infestation had not spread, the ants were more numerous. They 

 were very numerous in the sirup rooms of both bottling establish- 

 ments, and in both meat markets. 



Observations were made in December, and at this time conditions 

 were fairly satisfactory. Ants had troubled only two of the houses, 

 in each instance only for a day or so, and had theji left. The bottling 

 establishments were closed for the winter. The intention was to 

 recharge the jars at this time, but the status was so satisfactory that 

 it was decided to leave them until the following spring. 



In the beginning of April the ants were not very plentiful. Only 

 three houses had been invaded during the winter. The sirup rooms 

 of both bottling works were again besieged. 



By the latter part of May the ants were more numerous all over 

 the infested area, though none of the residents or storekeepers had 

 so far been troubled. The proprietor of bottling establishment A 

 now had his sirups isolated and the ants were noticeably fewer 

 around this building, but they were in increased numbers around the 

 other plant. The ants were now very numerous on one block, and as 

 the jars had not been satisfactory outdoors, special paraffin-covered 

 rainproof paper bags were prepared to place on the trees near the 

 houses and along the streets throughout the infested area. The 

 experiment had been conducted for 20 months and the results had 

 not been entirely satisfactory. The ants had been almost completely 

 kept out of the houses and stores, except the sirup rooms of the 

 bottling works, but large numbers were still present outdoors. 



It is fairly conclusive that the sirup within the houses repelled the 

 ants, for even in the spring the ants gave little trouble to the resi- 

 dents. 



On July 9, 50 paper bags l containing this sirup were placed on 

 trees throughout the infested area. About half of these bags were 

 placed on trees in one block. All the bags were tacked about 15 feet 

 above the ground to keep them out of reach of children and to arrest 

 evaporation as much as possible, bags at this height being in the 

 shade. 



On August 13 a status inspection was made, and very remarkable 

 results were observed. There were not at this time more than 20 

 per cent of the ants on the trees as compared with July, and all of 

 the houses without exception situated anywhere near the trees had 



1 A description of the preparation of this bag is given on pages 20 and 21. 



