326 " QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1898. 
DESTRUCTION OF ANT HILLS. 
As the hot season approaches, those pests of the colony, the ants of all sorts 
and descriptions, become lively and begin to infest the houses, especially those 
of persons living in the country. On all sides the question is then heard: 
“ How can we get rid of the ants ?” 
Several methods have been suggested, but few have been successful. 
We ourselves got rid of two extensive “antdoms” at Sherwood some years 
ago by covering the gravelly nests with chippings from the garden. ‘This 
proceeding appeared greatly to trouble the insects, probably because the dry 
weeds prevented them from safely depositing the quantities of small stones 
and gravel they carry up from below. 
Failing this remedy, there is another which we lately found in the 
Telegraph newspaper. It is worth a trial, so we reproduce it in the interests 
of our readers :— 
The best method of dealing with ants in a large nest is to make several 
holes with a broom handle or iron bar to a depth of a few inches in different 
parts of their habitation. Pour into each hole about a tablespoonful of carbon 
bi-suiphide, and then cover the whole nest with a blanket. ‘The heavy fumes 
of the insecticide will permeate the anthill, killing all insect life. The operation 
may be made more effective by exploding the vapour under the blanket with 
the aid of a light on the end ofa pole. The latter procedure drives the poisonous 
fumes throughout the nest, rendering them more fatal to the inmates. The 
best time for this treatment is in the evening, when most of the ants will be at 
home. 
DRESSED WEIGHTS OF EXHIBITION STOCK. 
Tue dressed weights of the prize stock shown at the late exhibition at 
Bowen Park were as follow :— 
Messrs. D. C. McConnel and Sons, Cressbrook, champion ox, 1,620 lb.; 
hide, 76 lb.; caul fat, 50 Ib.; and 20 Ib. of suet around the heart. After being 
removed from the show this beast was kept for ten days, and probably lost 
30 lb. 
Messrs. D. C. McConnel and Sons, Cressbrook, three freezers; 1,020 lb., 
980 Ib., 940 Ib. respectively; average, 980 Ib. 
Messrs. D. C. McConnel and Sons, Cressbrook, champion fat cow, 760 lb. 
Barambah bullocks, 920 1b., 948 Ib., 1,000 lb. respectively ; average, 956 lb. 
Messrs John Collins and Sons, three roan bullocks, 1,256 lb., 1,180 1b., 
1,212 1b. respectively ; average, 1,216 lb. Three freezers ; average, 959 Ib. 
Red bullock, second prize, 1,240 lb. 
Mrs. Con. Taylor, Belleview, three red polled Angus cows, average 792 lb. 
PLANTING COCOANUTS. 
Mr. ‘T'nornut1t Werepon, writing on the subject of planting cocoanuts, 
says:—“I recollect when I was a new chum in the early sixties assisting in 
planting some cocoanuts under the supervision of an old West Indian planter, 
who placed them all eye downwards, giving as areason thatin a natural state the 
majority of those that grew were such as fell in that position. He also stated 
that if the nut was not buried the shoot would always seek the ground to root 
before growing upward. Those we planted mostly came up, but were subse- 
quently destroyed by cattle, so that I can say nothing as to the final success of 
this method of planting.” 
