414 THE SUGAR-ANT. 



the discoverer of any practicable method of destroy- 

 ing them, so as to permit the cultivation of the 

 sugar-cane as formerly, was entitled to twenty thou- 

 sand 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. 



These ants, which were also injurious to several 

 sorts of trees, as the lime, lemon, orange, &c. 

 were of a middle size, and of a dark red colour.—- 

 Their numbers were incredible. The roads have been 

 covered with them for miles together ; and so seen 

 crowded were they in many places that the print of 

 the horses' feet would appear for a moment or two* 

 till filled up by the surrounding multitudes. All 

 the other species of ants, although numerous, were 

 circumscribed, jand confined to a small spot, in pro- 

 portion to the space occupied by the sugar-ants, as 

 a mole-hill to a mountain. 



Their destruction was attempted chiefly by poison> 

 and the application of fire. 



Corrosive sublimate and arsenic, mixed with ani- 

 mal substances, was greedily devoured by them. 

 Myriads 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 quantities 

 even to give the hundred-thousandth part of them 

 a taste. 



