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of the mixture are placed about the nests of the ants. A great 
number of dead ants will be found in the vicinity of the poison, 
After a few days what is left of the ants generally move away to 
fresh quarters. 
Cooper’s sheep dip powder placed over the nests in the evening 
kills and drives them away. 
It is also recommended to dissolve Hyposulphite of soda 2lb. 
to 2 to 3 gallons and sprinkle hot or cold in any corners indoors 
frequented by ants; they will disappear at once ; even a plateful 
of the solution placed on the shelves of infested cupboards will 
banish them. Out of doors their heaps can be watered with large 
quantities of same, boiling if possible, at nightfall. This will de- 
stroy most of them. 
Chalk rubbed on the bark of infested trees prevents them from 
climbing. If they are above it, they fall the instant they set foot 
on the chalk when descending as they appear to lose their foothold. 
WHITE ANTS. 
Arenot “ants” and are not necessarily ‘‘ white ” ; they are 
“termites.” Superficially they are like ants, but they are waistless, 
whereas in ants a thin stalk attaches the abdomen to the trunk. 
Mr. Cl. Fuller, once Entomologist of the Department of Acri- 
culture in Western Australia,and now Government Entomologist, 
Natal, in an interesting monograph explains that:—Like ants, they 
live in colonies in subterranean nests provided with communication 
galleries ; further, at certain times swarms of winged creatures 
emerge which, as in the case of ants are males and females, after 
mating, their aerial life ceases. The bulk of the adult population 
of a nest consist of the “ worker,’’ and to a minor extent of the 
‘soldier’? castes. These are sexually imperfect, and may be either 
males or females, Except in the case of ‘‘ marching termites,” 
all soldiers and workers are blind ; they may travel over exposed 
surfaces under cover of earthen runways where they are protected 
from their arch enemies, the true ants. 
The viscid fluid emitted from the mouths of termites is cor- 
rosive. Wood and principally grass is the staple food. Inside the 
nests are sponge-like combs which are fungus gardens on which the 
eggs are transferred from the castle of the king and queen to hatch. 
The workers see to this and also collect and prepare food for the 
other members of the community which cannot forage for them- 
selves ; they glue and bind together the earth particles round the 
galleries, remove all refuse matter, dead insects and sick fellows 
which are devoured. 
Like earthworms, they ventilate the soil, bring up the subsoil 
and improve it for plant growth ; crushed white-ant nests is re- 
