New-York tribune., 1896-10-25
TREES THAT WEEP.
AND AN ACCOUNT OF AN ANT STABLE

From The St. Louis Republic.
The peculiar phenomenon Of weeping or raining
TO- be fe sro nS e a
that the early maple trees there. which are she'd
ding their leaves, are apparently raining and that
any one standing beneath may feel "A perccptibie
spray.
He is inclined 10 attribute the phenome non to the
fact that the is oozing out Of the trees where
the leaf fall, ,JfT,' from the limb ,,. ,,.,,
versty and Shaw's Garden. however. holds a diff
ferent view. and attributes the phenomenon to the
agency Of an insect or rather an Infinite number Of
insects.
III the gentleman is absolutely positive" said
manner he suggests that would. Of course, account
for the shower he describes 1t is far more likely
hopper is responsibe for it, We had very similar
happenns in the garden a62n FIVE 10 ea,p enc enc
of men spent almost an entire day on a ladder
watching the leaves in order to solve the problem
He succeeded at last and 1t clearly shown that
the weeping WAS due 10 the cxudng OF drops OF
insect that is often found in myrads the leaves
"A similar result can be achieved by the plant
Sse e 5 hSd aShd Is sqped Or
his back. from which at times drops OF honey dew
these insects on the maple trees would account for
the phenomenon Of raining trees think the aphid
at this that enterprsing little follow Is very
much in evidence on maple trees: ~, pro,.sso,
rrelease's opinion was afforded a few moments
later when, accompanied by Superintendent Grun-
ley OF the Garden. and another gentleman the pro-
fessor and The Republic" representative made a
close examination OF number or silver maple
trees Quite a number of aphids were found on
the leaves. a microscopic investigation revealed
their staring red eyes although each insect was
not much larger than an everyday mosquito: On a
neighbOring vine specimens OF the other rain pro-
ducer the tree hopper. were also caught. despite
the agility Of the hopper which amply Justined us
The aphid is an insect which Professor Tre-
lease Is peculiarly competent to talk. AZ ne mas
studied It's habits for years Probably not one man
is known among scientists as the ants COW: The
reason is that the ant. being very fond OF % money
dew, and knowing that the ephid Is producer
thereof cares for and milks the aphid much as
mankind makes Of the
One of the greatest authorities says on this sub
ject: "Ants regard the aphids as their mich cows
An ant will walk up to an aphid. stroke It's bacs
with its antennae and Immediately the pleased
amid gives forth drop Of sweet mud. which the
AMI at once drinks up The ants take very good care
of their cattle and will carry them to new pastures
n the old ones dry up. They also carry the aphid
eggs who then rests. and keep them stabbed during
t6e winter and then carry the young plant lice Out;
ana nut them on plants In the spring"
Fifteen wears ago Professor Trelease wrote ana
nnhiished a paper describing a remarkable expert
ence OF his own During his researches In swamp
ar Woods Hole, Mass. he came across small nest
made OF little bits Of decayed wood caIeIui
scr,ifny revealed the fact that 1t was n complete
stable with door at either end. ana IN II nun. uin
her Of ants had corralled larger NUMBER o. apnas
Tor Tor milking purposes. The ants fought IKE ukeIss
When disturbed but Professor TreIease eaptuteso rec
the entire outfit, and was able 10 stuoy u NJ "''
leisure