Remember seeing ads like this in comic books and other pulp publications. Sure we do. The ant farm has been a part of several generations of American children. An ant farm is actually called a formicarium whick  is a vivarium that is designed primarily for the study of ant colonies and how ants behave. The similar "ant farms" are a popular subject for school projects.

A formicarium is usually an ant colony enclosed by a transparent box made of glass or plastic. The first commercially-sold formicarium was introduced around 1929 and patented in 1931 by Frank Austin, an inventor and professor at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. Austin included painted or wooden scenes of palaces, farms, and other settings above the ground level, for a whimsical look.

Obviously, the best-known formicariums are examples of "Uncle Milton's Ant Farm", for which the ants are sent to the purchaser through the mail. This very popular  educational toy is made by Uncle Milton Industries in Westlake Village, California, and has sold over 20 million ant farms since 1956. Always nice to see these familiar symbols of our childhoods. Thanks for visiting! Keep on farming!