38 



BULLETIN 965, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of trees even after ants have been eradicated from an orchard. Such 

 action, if long continued, ultimately will result in reduction or con- 

 trol of the ants in the immediately adjoining strip of land and will act as 

 a protection to the rest of the orchard. Particularly necessary is it to 

 keep up the fight on house-lot property. The writers have totally 

 eradicated ants from small city properties only to have incursions a 

 short time later from the outside. 



CLEAN CtTLTURE. 



Ant eradication by the sirup method is difficult in uncultivated 

 orchards or in orchards with rank vegetation beneath the trees. 

 (Fig. 18.) , Weeds and grass harbor plant-lice, scales, and other in- 



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Fig. 17.— Comparative progress of ant eradication on marginal and inside rows of a lO-acre citrus orchard. 



sects which furnish honeydew and distract the ants from the sirup. 

 Such growth in contact with the branches oflFers avenues of travel 

 distant from the poison. Clean culture should be practiced and, 

 where possible, the lower branches pruned to prevent access to the 

 tree except by the trunk. (Fig. 19.) 



CONTROL ON HOUSE LOTS OR ABOUT BUILDINGS. 



The control of ants on house lots or about buildings requires -greater 

 attention than does orchard work and furthermore is slower. Ground 

 traps are advantageous in addition to the regular field containers. 

 In order to efi'ect rapid reduction of the pest, liberal distribution of 

 containers has been found advisable. It has been the custom of the 



