The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-14
Reports This Year Are That This
Pest Are Worse Than Usual and
Are Spelling Many
Lawns. ~
SEVERAL WAYS TO KILL
Hot Water and BisuIphide Of Carbon
Are Two Agents for Treating
These Insects So They
Won't Survive.

An unusual number oe complaints
have been received this year by the
department OF agriculture, says a
Washington dispatch, from persons
who say that ants are injuring their
lawns and gardens. AS a matter OF
fact, these ants do little harm and the
injury that Is attributed to them is
usually caused by something else. In
large numbers, however, the small,
conical nests which they build on
lawns are somewhat unsightly and on
this account 1t may be desirable in
some cases to destroy them.
Where there is only small area to
be covered the simplest method Is to
dnsnch the nests with boiling water.
Another simple remedy is to spray
the lawns with kerosene emulsion or
with very strong soap wash pre-
pared by dissolving any common
soap in water at the rate OF one
pound or half pound to gallon OF
water. Such methods are particularly
we'll adapted to small lawns and Tor
the ordinary little lawn ant.
For larger ant colonies OF other
species, bisulphide of carbon, a cham
ical which can be purchased at any
drug store, will be found effective.
This substance can be placed in the
nest by means Of an oil can or small
syringe, the quantity required varying
from half ounce for small nest to
two or three ounces or more for a
large one. An oil can with long
spout is q convenient instrument as
it can +, inserted into the nests and
the linuid injected without its being
| IL - No arat NY -,
for the fumes Of bisulphide Of carbon,
although not poisonous, are nauseat-
ing. To facilitate the entrance into
tn, nest of the chemical. the ant hole
can be enlarged with a sharp stick or
iron rod. After the bisulphide of car
hon has been injected. the opening
should be closed by pressure of the
foot N order to retain the bisulphide.
This will penetrate slowly throughout
the underground channels Of the nest
and kill all the inmates. 1t is impor-
tant to remember that while bisul-
phide is perfectly harmless If kept
away from all fire, 1t is very inf1am-
mablo and nav, under certain circum-
stances explode when ignited.
Fyceat for the unsightly appearance
if tt-ir nests, however. the lawn ants
do no appreciate harm. They are
frequently noted en- roses and on 9th.
er ornamental and garden plants, and
it is naturally supposed that they are
doing harm to these. AS matter of
fact, it is not the plants that attract
tn, ants. but plant lice. These tiny
creatures excrete sweet liquid which
ants are very fond of. and which they
collect without injuring the plant lice.
For this reason plant lice are fire.
quently termed "ant cows" The anal
ogy is emphasized by the fact that
ants have been known to take plant
lice into their nests, shelter them
through the winter and return them to
suitable plants in the spring very
much as men are accustomed to feed
and shelter cows throughout the win
ter, putting them on pasture with the
coming Of spring This Is the only
way in which ants can be said to In
jure plants They enter houses very
rarely and, on the whole. may be said