Cultivation of Graft Land. Removing Ant-hilts Frequent rolling* $c. 417 



be practifed with advantage under different circumftances ; as, where the fields arc 

 in fight from houfes, or otherwife much cxpofed to view, the former may be the 

 more ad vifable as rendering the ground lefs difagreeable to the eye; but under 

 other circumftances the latter will be the moft proper, not only as more effectually 

 exrirpating the ants, but as affording a more lafting improvement to the land. 

 In either method, heavy and frequent rolling fhould conftantly be had recourfe to 

 afterwards, as it is in a great meafure from the want of this that the hills are at firft 

 produced. It is indeed rendered extremely probable by the fact ftated below, 

 that this practice may alone, in many cafes, effectually remove this fort of hill. 

 In the rolling down of ant-hills inftead of cutting them up, in an experiment 

 made by the duke of Grafton, it was found to be attended with complete fuc- 

 cefs. A large pafture which had been very much infefted with ants, and which 

 they had almoft covered with hills, was perfectly reftored by repeated heavy rol 

 lings, f 



In thefe cafes, the rollings mould be performed both in the autumn and fpring 

 feafons, when the lands are in fuch ftates of moifture, asjuft to admit the impref- 

 fion of the roller, without receiving injury from the feet of the animals. If fuch 

 operations be executed when the grounds are in a ftate of considerable drynefs, the 

 benefits will be comparatively but fmall. The good effects that are produced in 

 this procefs depend upon the degrees of confolidation effected ; as it is only by 

 this means that the infects can be prevented from carrying on their various opera 

 tions ; a certain ftate of lightnefs as well as finenefs in the mould being effential 

 to the complete execution of their labours. 



, Ocher modes of deftroying thefe infects, and preventing the formation of their 

 hills, have been made life of. As the economy of the ant requires the fituation 

 and foil to be dry and friable, in order to carry on their works, it is probable that, 

 in lands that will admit of the practice, it may be an eafy and convenient method 

 of deftroying them, and preventing the bad confequences which their labours pro 

 duce on the furface fvvard, to conduct water over them ; and thus, at the fame 

 time, exterminate the colonies of ants and irrigate the ground; by which two 

 improvements may be effected at once, the land being cleared from ant-hills, 

 while its fertility is confiderably increafed. 



The ufe of night foil, in compofition with various forts of earthy materials, has 

 been recommended with the intention of deftroying fuch infects, but we fufpect 



* Kent s Hints, {- Annals of Agriculture, vol. XVI. 



VOL. II. H 



