THE ANT. 227 



Injurious to the sugar cane and other trees. 



supplying due nourishment to the plants, which, 

 therefore, become sickly and stunted, and con- 

 sequently do not afford juices fit for making 

 sugar, either in any quantity or of any tolerable 

 quality. They are also injurious to several other 

 kinds of trees, the lime, lemon, orange, &c. 



The planters 'having in vain endeavoured to 

 put a stop to the ravages of these insects, an act 

 was passed by the legislature, by which the dis- 

 coverer of any practical method of destroying 

 them, so as to permit the cultivation of the sugar 

 cane as formerly, was entitled to twenty thousand 

 pounds, to be paid from the public treasury of 

 the island. Many were the candidates on this 

 occasion, but very far were any of them from 

 having any just claim. Considerable sums of 

 money were, however, granted in consideration 

 of trouble and expences in making experiments. 

 Their destruction was attempted chiefly by poi- 

 son, and the application of fire. Corrosive sub- 

 limate and arsenic, mixed with animal sub- 

 glances, were greedily devoured by them. My- 

 riads were thus destroyed, and the more, as they 

 were by these applications rendered so furious 

 as to destroy each other; yet it was found that 

 these poisons could not be laid in sufficient quan- 

 tities even to give the hundred-thousandth part 

 of them a taste. The use of fire was attended 

 with greater success. When wood was burnt to 

 the state of charcoal, without flame, and imme- 

 diately taken from the fire, and laid in their way, 



2 v 2 



