Carpenter-Ants. 309 



grass. Having planted this crop in a circle around, and two 

 or three feet from the centre of the mound, the insect tends 

 and cultivates it with constant care, cutting away all other 

 grasses and weeds that may spring up amongst it, and all 

 around outside the farm circle to the extent of one or two 

 feet more. The cultivated grass grows luxuriantly, and 

 produces a heavy crop of small, white, flinty seeds, which 

 under the microscope very closely resemble ordinary rice. 

 When ripe, it is carefully harvested and carried by the 

 workers, chaff and all, into the granary cells, where it is 

 divested of the chaff and packed away. The chaff is taken 

 out and thrown beyond the limits of the paved area. 



["During protracted wet weather it sometimes happens 

 that the provision-stores become damp, and are liable to 

 sprout and spoil. In this case, on the first fine day, the 

 ants bring out the damp and damaged grain, and expose it to 

 the sun till it is dry, when they carry it back and pack away 

 all the sound seeds, leaving those that had sprouted to waste. 



[" In a peach orchard not far from my house is a consider- 

 able elevation, on which is an extensive bed of rock. In the 

 sand-beds overlying portions of this rock are five cities of 

 the agricultural ants, evidently very ancient. My observa- 

 tions on their manners and customs have been limited to the 

 last twelve years, during which time the inclosure surround- 

 ing the orchard has prevented the approach of cattle to the 

 ant-farms. The cities which are outside the inclosure, as 

 well as those protected in it, are at the proper season 

 invariably planted with the ant-rice. The crop may accord- 

 ingly always be seen . springing up within the circle about 

 the 1st of November every year. Of late years, however, 

 since the number of farms and cattle has greatly increased, 

 and the latter are eating off the grass much closer than 

 formerly, thus preventing the ripening of the seeds, I notice 

 that the agricultural ant is placing its cities along the turn- 

 rows in the fields, walks in gardens, inside about the gates, 

 &c., where they can cultivate their farms without molestation 

 from the cattle. 



[" There can be no doubt that the particular species of 



