A Aue., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 279 
General Notes. 
TO KEEP WHITE ANTS FROM A BUILDING. 
All houseowners both in town and country know by experience the 
-destruction caused by Termites when once they have effected a lodgment in a 
building either of stone, brick, or wood. It is expensive work getting rid of 
them and replacing the damaged timbers; therefore, the best plan is to build 
in such a way that the pests have no chance of gaining an entrance. Hence, 
in a wooden building, the stumps on which the lower framework rests demand 
the most careful attention. In the first place, no stump should be used which 
is the least gone or “dozy” at the heart. Neither should any that have 
radiating cracks from the centre to the circumference be employed. In the 
next place, every stump should be thoroughly sapped well into the old wood, 
and stumps should also never exceed 12 inches in diameter of solid wood, 
neither should they stand out of the ground at any less height than 2 feet or 
‘2 feet 3 inches. Suitable stumps of this kind having been prepared, the next 
operation is to tar them. Some char them before tarring, but this is worse 
than useless. The heat causes the timber to crack longitudinally by the 
-expansion of the moisture by heat, and a dozen channels are thus opened for 
the entrance of the enemy. Stumps should not be dressed with cold coal tar. 
It should be thoroughly boiled until every particle of moisture and volatile 
oils contained in it are driven off. It should then be allowed to cool, and next 
day it will be almost solid. When all is ready, warm the tar till it becomes 
fluid enough to apply. Give the stumps two heavy coats of this, not forgetting 
the end which is to be set in the ground. Now pour some crude cold tar into 
the stump hole and set the stump on this. See that it stands in the same 
position as it occupied in the growing tree, the small end uppermost. Then 
slightly damp the soil to be returned with crude tar, and ram it in firmly. 
The lower end is now quite secure. The upper end should be covered with 
a 24-gauge galvanised iron cap. 
On no account allow a spike to be driven through the cap to hold the 
ound plates. There is not any need for a spike, as the weight of the building 
will hold everything firmly in its place. 
The building will not shift; and if a hurricane comes along, the spike would 
not hold any more than a wooden peg. Thus both top and bottom of the 
stump are so far absolutely safe from the white ants. 
But all this will be useless unless great care is taken with the building of 
‘the chimney. ‘This should have a concrete foundation, and be capped with iron 
projecting about 3 inches all round, set lower than the stump caps. Thus the 
ants can find no means of communication with the building by means of the 
-chimney. 
Finally, veranda steps should be carefully isolated {by setting the sides of 
‘the steps on short stumps well clear of the ground, capped and tarred as before 
-directed. The house is now practically safe. But there is still a source of 
-danger, and one that is commonly disregarded. People find the under part of 
the house a convenient storeroom for old timber, cases, and barrels. This 
lumber is often pushed under the house, touching the joists. The ants are not 
long in finding this out, and once they do so all the previous precautions will 
be ofnoavail. There isa case on record where the Termites entered a building 
by constructing a tunnel up a piece of stiff grass which grew up just inside a 
stump, and touched the flooring of the house. Therefore, all weeds, Sida retusa, 
-&c., should be carefully cleared away, and no lumber be allowed to connect the 
joists with the ground. By attention to these points there will be no danger ot 
a house being invaded by this one of the greatest pests of hot climates. 
