The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-25
A Texan Genius.

y Texan farmer made discovery on
the Sth which certainly bids fair to raise
him to more prominence in his own State
then if he had found new asteroid OF
the nineteenth magnitude, right ascen-
sion, 90 north, or invented new steam
pump. Surely and tersely the discovery
was q method for the determination OF
the Texan ant. Next to every one knows
that the ant is an insect that must be
dealt with prudently yet vigorously, COM
batiyely vet with caution. From the
microscopic but highly-havored species
than haunts the sugary spots of the cub
board to the fierce and intractable pic
mic variety, the ant is acreature inculcat-
ing feelings of profoundest respect, not
to say awe, in the human breast, and
there is not housekeeper in the broad
land that can look unmoved upon him
when once ne has established his home
in the neighborhood and gone actively
into the business of multiplication and
increase. Professor Doremus, of New
York, once estimated that there were
1884 different species of ants in Ameri-
ca; and the Galveston News, promptly
recognizing the situation, rose and
claimed 1928 of those species as the ex-
elusive property of Texas. Selfish and
inconsiderate us this claip may seem, it
has never been contested; and since tie
Encyclopedia Britannica, in the new
edition, has accorded $4,000 varieties to
Texas, it will be seen that the Gavelston
Me,cs's apparently violent and boastful
claim is we'll backed up. by sciectific au-
thority. But to the discovery.
The Texan farmer whose fame bids fair
to rival that of the discoverer of America
was in such humble circumstances a
year ago that he was only able to keep
two hogs and one ants nests on his
rancho, twenty miles beyond Invade,
on the Rio Frio. Being still further re-
duced, he determined to give up the
ants and cling only to the hogs. The
resolution was easily made. But how to
give up the ants s?-ah, that was harrow
ing. The farmer got out his two sons
and three spades and started to dig up
the nest. In two minutes after break
ing ground the impracticability OF min
Cling excavation with war dance and pro-
family became painfully evident, and he
and his heirs retired to disrobe and ap.
ply arnica and ponder new methods of
revenge. Next day he poured two
pounds of powder down the main hatch
and touched it off. This blew half a
million of ants to kingdom come, and
excited the rest, but next morning they
were at work, cheerful as ever, having
lust discovered where the farmer kept
his corn meal. Then he poured gallon
of kerosene down the hole and set it
on fire. The ants didn't like this, but kept
holiday in the cellar while the thing was
blazing and then came out again. Then
the farmer tried hot water, vinegar,
nitric acid, molesses, Paris green and
ammonia. He built bonfires over the
nest by night and rammed gunpowder
and nitro-glycerine in it by day. No ouse.
He tried prayer-the ants got away with
his bag of cracked wheat. He tried
profanity-they invaded his pork barrel.
He sat down in calm despair-they
crawled up his trousers and chewed the
calmness right out of him. He dissem'
bled-ha, ha yes he dissembled, and he
watched. One day he saw an ant
crawl along the top of now empty
cracker box and over on straw to the
muzzle of beer bottle near by, look
down the abyss and then drop in. The
discovery was made The farmer danced
solemn festal dance, got out his old
bottles, and waited for night. Next
morning the unsuspecting insects rose
and came out to disport themselves.
Around the main entrance to their laby-
rinth there were FIVE small but curious
looking holes. They investigated. One
deputation dropped in after another, but
not one came back. The camp was thrill
ed with curiosity. The rush to the holes
was tremendous-till, towards evening,
not an ant could be found, when the
farmer came forth, unearthed the demi-
johns, built huge fire, and consigned
fifteen gallons of fants to pefdition. The
plan is SO simple and yet so eficacious.
All Texas is in arms and ecstasy, dig
ging around ant nests and planting bot
ties. The farmer has been presented
with gold medal by the City Council of
Galveston, and the public spirited citi.
zens of Invade voted him a card OF
thanks in the Cattle Dealer of the 23d.