Reports to the Board of Agriculture. 3 1 
In a similar attack in hops by a species known as Cctlocoris 
fulvomaculatus of I)e Geer jarring over boards cleared the invaded 
gardens. 
The only washes found of any use are soft soap washes, especially 
paraffin emulsion with an extra 3 lb. of soft soap to the 100 gallons. 
To be of much service the wash must be used when the insects 
are in the larval or pupal stage. A look-out should be kept in the 
garden to see where this chrysanthemum pest passes the winter ; if 
the winter quarters are discovered steps should be taken to destroy 
the insect before spring, if it hibernates in the adult stage. If the 
species passes the winter in the egg stage on the chrysanthemums, 
the plants should be sprayed with paraffin emulsion as soon as the 
young larvcC are seen to appear. 
The Destruction of Ants. 
The following information was sent to a correspondent of the 
Board of Agriculture at Ivingston-on-Thames concerning the method 
of destroying ants damaging grass and clover. 
First find out the ants’ nest. This may be under the ground, in 
which case it can only be detected by following the ants and so 
finding the opening in the soil down which they descend ; nests may 
also be formed under dome-shaped masses of earth, etc., above ground 
or they may be under stones and rotting wood, according to the 
species of ant concerned. 
Having located the nests, make a hole in each one about eight 
inches in depth and then pour into each hole from 1 to 2 ozs. 
of bisulphide of carbon, according to the size of the nest, and fill 
up the hole at once with earth. If the ground is regularly under- 
mined with ants’ nests and tunnels, treat the soil with the same, 
making holes every three feet apart, and pour into each hole 2 ozs. of 
the bisulphide of carbon. This is as a rule not necessary for ants, the 
nests only needing treatment. Evening is the best time to attack 
them. Care must be taken not to put a light near the bisulphide of 
carbon or to let it come in contact with hot metal, as it is highly 
inflammable. This is the only plan by which ants can be cleared 
out of the soil and has so far always met with success. 
There are very few parasitic enemies of ants. A genus of 
Ichneumon flies, Elasmosoma, is one of the few parasites that attack 
them, whilst a brilliant Chalcid, Euclmris myrmecice, is known to prey 
on the large Australian Myrmccia, A small fly, Phora formicarum, 
Verrall, lays its eggs on ants, inside which the larvm live. Ants 
