14 BULLETIN 877, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
been invaded. None of the stores along Bay Street, near which were 
no trees, had been bothered by the ants. All the jars were recharged. 
In November conditions were very satisfactory. Comparatively 
few ants were to be seen, and these were mostly on the trees. No 
ants were to be found in the sirup room of bottling establishment A, 
and there were very few in the vicinity of the building. There were 
very few ants on the trees in one block. By far the largest number 
of ants were to be found around the building in which bottling estab- 
lishment B had been located. People in the house next to this build- 
ing were being considerably troubled. 
In January, 1914, all the jars were recharged and 150 paper bags 
containing the poisoned sirup were distributed over the infested area. 
On April 7 a thorough inspection was made, and the numbers of 
ants were found to be greatly reduced. Nowhere had the ants caused 
any annoyance. There were very few ants on any of the trees. In 
several places native ants had again taken up their abode within the 
infested area, indicating that the Argentine species was dying out. 
In the latter part of May the jars were recharged and 300 poison 
bags placed in suitable locations. An inspection at that date proved 
that the experiment was continuing very satisfactorily. 
Native ant nests could be found dotted over the whole area. The 
largest number of Argentine ants was found around the abandoned 
building of bottling establishment B; in fact, this was the only place 
where the ant could be found in large numbers. 
An inspection on June 29 indicated that the experiment was pro- 
gressing favorably. The numbers of Argentine ants around bot- 
tling establishment B had greatly decreased, it being actually diffi- 
cult to find them on these premises. Not a vestige of the infestation 
could be found on three of the blocks. 
In mid-September the territory was again inspected. The condi- 
tions were found to be excellent. Scarcely an Argentine ant could 
be seen in any part of the once-infested territory. 
Everyone living in the formerly infested area was of the opinion 
that the Ae ccntine ants had been completely eradicated, but the 
writer found a few workers. However, he decided to concen the 
experiment concluded, for the time at least. It was possible that 
the queens were all destroyed and that just a few workers remained. 
There was also the possibility of the native ants finally exterminating 
the Argentine species. 
The poisoned sirup had finally proved efficient, though it must be 
stated that it was necessary to expose it both indoors and out. 
IMPROVEMENT OF THE NICKELS SIRUP. 
In the tests with the Nickels sirup a number of objectionable 
features were encountered which finally led to the preparation of a 
