IX 



PESTS 



151 



powerful garden engine is the remedy in such a 

 case. 



It is pretty well known that ants frequent the shoots 

 which are attacked by aphides for the purpose of feeding 

 on the sweet juice which they secrete, called honey-dew. 

 Entomologists tell us that the ants treat the aphides as 

 their milch cows, and even convey them about to fresh 

 shoots ; and I once found a singular instance of this. 

 Some poor briar cuttings had been planted in an odd 

 corner of my garden, on the chance of their doing well 

 enough to be worth budding. They did not turn out 

 well enough and in consequence were neglected, but I 

 noticed in the summer a few aphides on the shoots and 

 that there were ants in the ground. The stocks were 

 dug up to be thrown away in mid-winter, and I then 

 found the aphides quite underground feeding on the 

 roots, and attended by ants. It seems a fair inference 

 that, on the approach of winter, the ants had carried the 

 aphides underground for safety. 



Ants in themselves are a pest and should be looked on 

 as such. I am doubtful whether they ever attack a 

 Rose-bud unless it has been first pierced or scratched by 

 another insect or some mischance. But they are readily 

 attracted by the exuding sap from the smallest wound, 

 and flock to the place in myriads, disbudding sometimes 

 offering them such a spot in an undesirable position. 

 When once they have thus attacked a bud nothing 

 short of finding and destroying the nest with boiling 

 water will prevent their devouring the whole of it — even 

 finger and thumb fail here because of the immense 

 reserve force behind — and, as the bud is certainly spoiled, 

 and it will take them some time to demolish it, I 

 generally leave it for them to keep them out of other 

 mischief. It is better though to watch all ants on the 



