The spectator., 1919-06-27
(Prepared by the United States Depart
 ment of Agriculture.)

IESpssSu Dy the OnlteQ states DepdrC-
 ment of Agriculture.)
 New wonders of nature continually are opening to the home gardener who watches carefully the evolution of the creatures in his food plot Even the insects that attack his plants have power to amaze. And no insects are more interesting than the tiny plant lice or aphids, which grow in large number of forms and suck the juices from various kinds of plants. The most remarkable thing about some of the aphids is their partnership with other insects. Many forms of the aphids are fostered and protected from the beginning to the end of their little lives by the industrious ants. The part nership seems to have reached most pefect form in the case of the corn root aphids and the cornfield ant. and 1t Is usually found that where there are aphids there are ants.
 Operation of Ant-Aphis Alliance.
 The partnership of ant and aphis- aphis-Operates in nearly every sec ton where corn is grown east of the Rocky mountains, especially in some of the corn belt states. The work ings of the partnership have been com pared to subterranean dairy. with the aphis as the ants "cow," the ant directing the enterprise. the aphis do ing the work. and the ant getting the profits. The ant Is not directly harm full to the corn, but the aphis Is. With out the ant, however, the firm would have to go out of business. and that is why the United States department of agriculture tells farmers who want to get rid of corn-root aphis to get rid of the ant. The same advice applies in the case of certain other forms of root aphids.
 This is how the su5terranean dairy works:
 In the fall the ants carry the eggs of the aphids to their nests and care for them as they do for their own young. Tn the spring. when the eggs hatch, the ants tunnel along weed roots and place the helpless aph,ds on the roots. Soon the aphids begin to give off 'honeydew," made from the juices of the plants on which the aphids are resting. The ant dearly loves "honeydew." and they tenderly watch over and care for their cows" The aphids are wholly dependent throughout their life on the ants.
 Escaped Aphids Seized by Ants.
 The first two or three generations of aphids live entirely on the roots of weeds, but as soon as the newly-plant- cd corn sprouts the ants transfer the aphids to the more succulent corn roots. After two or three successive generations, many of the aphids may be- winged, and some escape from the ground through the ant tunnels and fly away to new field. If they chance to alight near an ant hill they are seized immediately by the watchful ants, carried into their burrows. placed on roots, and hOneydew production starts again.
 When cold weather Is approaching and the ant carries the aphids' eggs and the young ants deeper into the soil. the ant goes at least eight inches under the soil and eight inches Is deeper than the ordinary blow fur TOW.
 The particular aphis that attacks corn is called the corn-rOot aphis be- cause of it's preference for that plant. In gardens 1t Is very common on as- ters and related plants. There are many other varieties of aphis. how ever, and for many of them ants have a tender feeling. For instance. there are the aphids that attack orange trees in California. The ants surround these nphids, attack other insects that attempt to reach them, and induce the aphlds to excrete honeydew by strok- ing their bodies with their antennae, or feelers. Unfortunately for the or angc aph.ds, however they are at- tackled by winged parasites which "stiny" and lay eggs Tn them, and these parasites are so small and active that the ants cannot successfully defend their charges.
 How to Control Pests.
 The corn-root aphlds in fields is con- srolled by rotating with crops upon which the aphlds cannot live. by plow- ing and disking. thus breaking up the ant and aphis colonies. and by the use of certain pungent substances, mixed with chemical fertilizer and dlstrlb- ntcd by means of fertilizer attach ment to tho corn planter. These sub stances tend 10 drive away the ants and prevent them from placing aphids on the corn roots.
 Aphids In 0ardene.
 Tho home gardeners whose plants are attacked by apl,lds. such n tho