4 8 4 



XV. — Remedies. 



Of the host of remedies tried, it cannot be said that a single 

 one has shown itself a conspicuous success. From the habits of 

 the pest, as detailed in a previous paragraph, it is obvious that no 

 ordinary insecticide can be effectual, as it is rapidly bridged over 

 by earth, in the case of external attacks, whilst it cannot readily 

 be applied internally. " Gondal's Fluid," a peculiarly malo- 

 dorous compound containing assafoetida, London purple, copperas, 

 petroleum, an extract of vasumba root, tuba and other direct 

 poisons have been tried with practically no effect. At Jugra, 

 Mr. Baxendale is using applications of hot water with satisfactory 

 results, but his estate is by no means badly infested, and the 

 method would probably be impracticable on at all an extensive 

 scale, and is at best a palliative. 



The most successful treatment yet devised is to thoroughly 

 scrape off all incrustation from the tree, taking care to kill the 

 ants in so doing, and to powder the trunk thickly with freshly- 

 slaked lime, applied in a dry state. The earth round the base of 

 the tree should be removed to the depth of a foot or eighteen 

 inches, and a liberal dressing of dry-lime applied. The trees 

 should be inspected every other day, and treatment repeated 

 if necessary. 



It is a well-established fact, that white ants are very intoler- 

 ant of any form of decaying animal or of foecal matter, and should 

 the materials be available a compost of cow-dun^ applied to 

 the tree might be efficacious in repelling the external attacks, 

 while night-soil dug in to the base of the tree might ward off 

 internal attack. The treatment of affected trees with a small 

 quantity of an ammonium salt, preferably the sulphate, might not 

 improbably have the same action, as Dr. Wright, of Perak, 

 informs me that urine applied to damaged trees rapidly drives 

 off the ants, the result apparently depending on the production 

 of ammonia during decomposition. The saving of trees attacked 

 from the tap root, or beneath the ground level, is a far more 

 difficult matter, for, as noted in previous paragraphs, there is 

 very frequently no indication of damage. Should this be detected 

 in time, the base of the tree should be well exposed and treated 

 with lime. If large cavities exists, two or three ounces of carbide 

 of calcium should be introduced, with a little water, and the 

 aperture plugged with damp clay. The acetylene gas thus 

 produced is a fairly powerful insecticide, but its usefulness is 

 impaired by its great diffusive power and consequent ephemeral 

 effect. Carbon bisulphide has been suggested as suitable, and 

 there is no doubt that this chemical is a most valuable insecticide 

 w hich could be put to a multitude of uses in this country if, only 

 it was procurable at a reasonable cost and with some regularity. 

 In England it is much used for freeing grain from weevils and 

 could be applied to rice in this country for a similar purpose. 

 I do not, however, think that the apparatus suggested by 



