12 BULLETIN 377, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in the Southern States. The following experiment is based on Mr. 

 Nickels's recommendations : 



EXPERIMENT AT HATTIESBTJRG, MISS. 



At Hattiesburg, Miss., an infestation of 8 blocks was found to be 

 an ideal place for this experiment. 



The following buildings were located within the infestation: 

 Thirty-eight residences, 7 stores, 2 meat markets, 2 small hotels, 2 

 restaurants, 2 bottling establishments (which will be designated here- 

 after as establishment A and establishment B), a laundry, a marble 

 factory, a sawmill and office, and a church. 



Thirty dozen 1-pint fruit jars were prepared in the manner out- 

 lined by Mr. Nickels. The porcelain was broken out of the metal 

 tops and five holes about three-eighths inch in diameter were punched 

 near the center of each top. Sponges were cut up into pieces and a 

 piece inserted in each jar. The piece of sponge filled about a third of 

 the space in the jar. 



A gill of the poisoned sirup was put into each jar. On each jar 

 was pasted a poison label. 



On September 28, 25 dozen of these jars were distributed about 

 six jars placed in each house and store. Two vacant blocks were 

 not covered at this time, but on November 16, 3 dozen jars were dis- 

 tributed on these blocks. As the jars had to be placed outdoors, they 

 were laid on one side to prevent rain from entering. The residents 

 of the other blocks were questioned as to results, and they reported 

 very favorably. In most cases the ants had become much less abun- 

 dant. The two meat markets had fewer ants than before, but the 

 sirup rooms of both bottling establishments were as badly infested as 

 ever, the ants evidently preferring the flavored sirups to the poisoned 

 sirup. 



In the latter part of April, 1912, the infestation was again deter- 

 mined. This was immediately after the winter previously referred to, 

 when the infestation had been so reduced at Kosciusko and New 

 Orleans. Though the numbers of ants had certainly been reduced in 

 Hattiesburg, they were still present in proportionately greater num- 

 bers than in New Orleans. It is likely that the better wintering 

 facilities at Hattiesburg were due particularly to excellent drainage 

 and the presence of numerous trees. 



On June 18 another inspection was made. The numbers of ants 

 were at this time about 60 per cent of what they were during the 

 previous November. The eastern line of infestation had not been 

 extended and the ants were giving little trouble in the houses, though 

 they had apparently concentrated around the sirup rooms of both 

 bottling establishments. The stores and meat markets had not been 

 troubled to any extent, but there were many trails of ants on the 

 trees. Many of the jars were examined, and it was found that a de- 



