The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-10-08
Agricultural Ants.

hear almost anything concerning their |
intellectual achievements; but when we
are told that there is species living |
down in Texas that actually sows, reaps, |
and hives grain for its winter use, the |
statement is almost too much for human |
credulity. However, we have It on the |
authority of Dr. Gideon Lincecum, stu
dent of science whose observations are
accepted by the savants as careful and |
trustworthy. In a recent paper commu- |
nicated by him to the Smithsonian In |
stitute, and published by permission of
Prof. Henry in the Naturalist, there are |
many interesting particulars Of this sin
gular ant, which, from its devotion to |
husbandry, is termed the Agricultural |
Ant Its scientific name is Xyrmicd |
m0lJdciens.
This ant lives in populous communi
ties, builds paved cities, constructs
roads, and sustains large military forces!
For the first year and half after colo
ny is founded its operations are con-
Quoted underground The ants then be-
gin to appear above the surface, and be-
gin to build their public works and
cultivate their estates. All grass, herb
age and other distractions are cleared
away to the distance of three or four feet
around the entrance to their city; and
circular pavement, consisting of pretty
hard crust about half an inch thick, is
constructed of coarse sand and grit
This pavement is sometimes fifteen feet
in diameter. To avoid the inundation
which would be likely to overflow this
pavement in the rainy season, at least
six months previous to the coming of the
rain" they commence the erection of
mound or pyramid which rises foot or
more from the center of the pavement.
The mound is occupied with neatly
constructed cells in which the eggs,
young ones and their stores Of grain are
carried in time of rainy seasons" The
pavement is kept clear of every growing
herb except a grain bearing grass, the
Aristida stricla. When ripe this grain is
harvested, the chatf removed, and then
it is stored in the dry cells The grain
from several other species of grass as
well as seeds from various kinds of
herbaceous plants" is also gathered and
the ants even SOW the grain of the Arts-
tidd stricld, which he calls ant-rice
Despite their precautions, he says some
times during rainy seasons the ground
about their city becomes saturated, and
the water penetrates into their granaries
and sets their seeds to sprouting Then
there is turmoil in the colony. All the
damaged grain is brought out the first
fine day and exposed to the sun. When
night comes every seed that has not
actually sprouted is taken in again. DR..
Lincecum states that one day he saw
these ants "have out on fiat rock as
much as a gallon of wheat, summing"
He watched the operation of its return
to the cells again, which the ants ac-
complished at nightfall in just five min
utes.
When Dr. Lincecum first went, in
1S48, to Long Point, Textile place
where he has studied these ants-there
was but one of their cities within mile
of the town. This was situated on the
summit of nearly barren knoll, where
there was but scanty vegetation to inter
fere with the peculiar industry of the
little agriculturist Their plantations of
antrice were flourishing in regular cir
Gle inside the pavement, and there were
patches of the same grass scattered
around on little glade, which had
doubtless been planted there by some
experienced ant, for it had nearly been
cleared of all other vegetables" The
country surrounding Long Point was
everywhere but in this single spot COW
cred with a rich, black soil, which bore
a heavy turf Of grass, through which the
ants could not travel, and they were
therefore confined to their single city,
But when, in the course of couple of
years, path passing near their pave
ment had got well trodden, they were
able to run over it, and erect new cities
on its borders. Three years after their
cities were seen rising at intervals of
eighty yards for the distance of mile
along this path.
As we have said, for the first eighteen
months after city is begun, its builders
keep themselves hid from their enemies.
At the end of that time they have gained
sufficient strength to sustain themselves
in the struggle for existence with other
tribes Of their race, and dare announce
their intentions in the world above
When the ants wish to send off new
colony, they assemble in swarms from
the surrounding cities and celebrate
grand marriage-festival which continues
for three or four hours. The Queen of
the colony then spreads her wings and
flies with the wind until she is tired, or
is thrown to the ground by counter
current. She now runs about in eager
haste to select proper location where
to lay the foundations of the city. This
she does by digging small hole, from
which, after it has reached a certain
depth, she withdraws and deliberately
bites off her wings with her sharp deli
hles. She then renews her digging until
she has made an excavation Of six or
seven inches deep, with small cell at
the bottom, in which she ensconces her.
self, closes the aperture, and deposits
twenty or thirty eggs. The inmates of
these eggs are all workers. and when
they have reached maturity they set
about the labors of their lives. The
Queen keeps them constantly employed,
while she adds to their numbers. When |
her colony is numerous enough they
commence their outer Notifications and |
the cultivation of their fields of grain
Chicago Tribune.
"A New York State Quaker was
found in patch Of grass behind a |
fence, looking at circus procession, and |
he turned it off by saying: Friend, hast |
thee seen the king bolt of my wagon |