38 
BULLETIN 965, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
of trees even after ants have been eradicated from an orchard. Such 
action, if long continued, ultimately will result in reduction or con- 
trol of the ants in the immediately adjoining strip of land and will act as 
a protection to the rest of the orchard. Particularly necessary is it to 
keep up the fight on house-lot property. The writers have totally 
eradicated ants from small city properties only to have incursions a 
short time later from the outside. 
CLEAN CULTURE. 
Ant eradication by the sirup method is difficult in uncultivated 
orchards or in orchards with rank vegetation beneath the trees. 
(Fig. 18.) Weeds and grass harbor plant-lice, scales, and other in- 
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Fig. 17. — Comparative progress of ant eradication on marginal and. inside rows of a 10-acre citrus orchard. 
sects which furnish honeydew and distract the ants from the sirup. 
Such growth in contact with the branches offers avenues of travel 
distant from the poison. Clean culture should be practiced and, 
where possible, the lower branches pruned to prevent access to the 
tree except by the trunk. (Fig. 19.) 
CONTROL ON HOUSE LOTS OR ABOUT BUILDINGS. 
The control of ants on house lots or about buildings requires greater 
attention than does orchard work and furthermore is slower. Ground 
traps are advantageous in addition to the regular field containers. 
In order to effect rapid reduction of the pest, liberal distribution of 
containers has been found advisable. It has been the custom of the 
