THE LAWN 



great huminocks of loose soil, thus killing out 

 large patches of grass where they come to the 

 surface. It is a somewhat difficult matter to dis- 

 lodge them, but it can sometimes be done by cov- 

 ering the places where they work with powdered 

 borax to the depth of half an inch, and then 

 applying water to carry it down into the soil. 

 Repeat the operation if necessary. Florists ad- 

 vertise liquids which are claimed to do this work 

 effectively, but I have had no occasion to test 

 them, as the borax application has never failed 

 to rout the ant on my lawn, and when I find a 

 remedy that does its work well I depend upon 

 it, rather than experiment with something of 

 whose merits I know nothing. " Prove all things 

 and hold fast to that which is good." 



Fighting the ant is an easier matter than ex- 

 terminating weeds, as ant-hills are generally 

 localized, and it is possible to get at them without 

 injuring a large amount of sward as one cannot 

 help doing when he applies liquids to weeds. 

 The probabilities are, however, that ants cannot 

 be entirely driven away from the lawn after they 

 have taken possession of it. They will shift their 

 quarters and begin again elsewhere. But you 

 can keep them on the run by repeated applica- 

 tions of whatever proves obnoxious to them, and 



32 



