484 
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 fcecal matter, and should 
the materials be available a compost of cow-dung 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 detepted 
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 
which 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 
