The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-07-19
ANT THAT RAISES MUSHROOMS
A rIuch Misjudged Insect Turns
Out To Be a Farmer.

The extraordinary ingenuity of different
species of ants has been the theme 81
many n naturalists treatise and traVeier )
tale But a recent enactment of the gov
eminent of Trinidad brings 10 light phases
of art intelligence more reHdsAabie' per
haps. than any yet published. TRINIDAD,
Il appears. is suffering from the pest OF
"parasol ants" and all and sundry are IN
vited TO submit plans for the extermiha-
ton of these little creatures. In the
course of discussion. the results OF re-
cent Investigations into the habits of the
parasol ant were brought forth II ms
long been the belief of naturalisis that
these ants cut the circular pieces out %
leaves which when carried away by them
over their heads. procured for them t4'
name of "parasoi' merely for eating pur-
noses That such il not the case mas no"
been established. The bits of leaves are
simply wanted as the soil upon winch :"
cultivate n certain kind of fungus used
nv the ants for food; and the Ette aSfl-
cuiturists-for such they are IN the strict
est sense of the word-are as expert IN
the culture of this fungus as IS any mar
ket gardener of Paris n the growing OF
his beloved mushrooms
The director of the public works in TIN
idad being asked for evidence on the sub
iect, submitted the following curious testi-
mony:
'sThe bits of leaf bitten out by the para
sol ant are not eaten. on Inc contrary
they are carefully removed, ard their sur
faces used for fungus growing. nave
watched the ants at work Tor hours Al i
time
Each foracer dropped his portion of
leaf In the nest and il taken up by
n small laborer and carried to a clear sp@ce
10 be cleaned. II was then taken IN ny
the larger workers. which. after licking It
with their tongues. reduced II 10 a smaA
hail of pulp. These balls were b1ilt on the
edg. of the already formed fungus bed
and slightly smcothcd down. The new
surface was then planted with scraps OF
fungus brought from other parts Of the
nest Each piece was put In separately
the ants like the true gardeners they
are. knowing exactly how far apart then
plants must be. II sometimes looks as
though the bits of fungus had been put in
too scanty in places. yet in about forty
hours. If the humidity is suitable the sur
face becomes covered with tiny mushrooms
making an appearance as of some llipu-
tian fall of snow.
This extraordinary account Of the Prov
ess of the parasol ant IA mushroom cul-
ture. a pursuit the difficulties Of which are
well known. il not e. be caviled ut. for 1t
is embodied in the very latest "biue book
issued by RI. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain.
British colonial secretary.
Wnen 81 is rem, mbcred that most rais-
ers of mushrooms fail because of the trou-
ble they find In regulating the IT, perature
to suit their plants. and the proper hand
ling of the spores. il would appear rhIt
these small creatures are, in their ny.
as good agr!culturists as their human
fellow farmers. AT any rate, the discov-
cries made I'm Truidad ought to procure
for these ants q new name. "Farasol aDt'
implies selfish gard for personal con-
fort. which we now know is not ~ ali me
reason Of the scraps of leaf So industri-
ouslV az rrfcd over The little tOuers nea1s.
The Trinidad public works director SEg-
cests ''agrlculturists ant as a substitute.