INJURIOUS TO TU£ TUttMF CKOl'. 327 



3. WIBEirOAMS. 



CaiLsideralilc confuBion prevails afl to the application of the t^rm wire- 

 worm, which in appropriate only to ^rubs of beetles of tlio family EUUerida. 

 But, in a general way of Hpeaking, Julu» pulcftrllugf and Polt/detmut com- 

 plnnatus, two Myriapods* pernicious to root-plants, aro likewise reckoned 

 wireworms. Tite former, which is a long, round, linear, slender, whitish, 

 blightly-spottcd, many-footed wornA* in the eaiit of Berwickshire occurs only 

 on the sea-ooast in a red sandstone soil : I have not noticed it in the tracUi 

 where tho subjacent rock is grey \vack6. Dr JohnBton tells me it is very 

 destructive to culinary herbs near Berwick. The PolyUsmug has also a mul- 

 titude of feet, is composed of joints not unlike those of a back-bone, is flat 

 and eompresecd, of a tawny colour when full grown, but immaculate white 

 while immature. It infests tho roots of cabba^<»8 and carrots, oft«n occa- 

 sioniog a failure of the crop. It likewise eats into the stems of potatoes, 

 cutting them off where they unite with the roots; the shaws wither in con- 

 sequence, and in this state are sometimes mistaken for symptoms of the 

 dreaded potato disease. I have little doubt of their being pretty general 

 feetlers, and that they will occasionally pay tho turnip a visit They show 

 a great dislike to peat-earth, and this, with exhausted tanner's bark, in mak- 

 ing up tlio beds, has been successfully employed by gardeners by way of 

 protection.f The true wireworms, however, in their perfect condition, are 

 beetk«. Tie most common within the district are — Aprtotes obtcurut, 

 Athous hirmorrhoiffalis, Dolopius margtHatMs^ aud Hypnoidus ripariu*. They 

 are of obscure colours, of different tints of brown or black, of an elongate, 

 oblong shape, with short, weak legs; the second division of the body ends 

 in two acute points, and the somewhat comb-shaped antennse are received 

 into a groove on each side of the fore-breast, which last terminates with a 

 sharp spin'). In descending from heights,tliey often fallon their backs, from 

 whiek position they escape by a mechanism similar to a spring, which, be- 

 i«g quickly exercised, causes them to rise with a jerk, accompanied with 

 a snapping noise, whence they liave been named " clicks, "or" spring-jacks." 

 Their grub is a narrow, stiff, 12 jointed, chestnut yellow, 6-legged worm; 

 and has a gliding, serpentine motion. Many insects pass through the phases 

 oi their existence withia a few months ; and tho greater proportion in the 

 oourse of a year ; but tho wireworm requires five years to ari ve at its ultimate 

 development; during which period it is employed in devouring or gnawing 

 through tho roots of plants. It is most abundant ia dry or peaty soils ; sti^ 

 lands are also not exempt; aad ground long in a state of pasturage, 

 is particularly sul^ect to it for some time after it has been brought under 

 tillage. In grounds with defective drainage M has sometimes committed 

 great ravages after wet seasons ; the water lodged in the soil having forced 

 it up too near the surface. It is ofteu very destructive to the turnip crop, 

 and sometimes cuts off tho young plants before they arise above the 

 ground. Fallows, frequent stirrings of the soil, and exposures to the frost, 

 surface burniags, and a repeated aud varied alternation of crojw, appear to 

 be among the naost practicable means of suppressing it. Some approve of 

 . aowiogtbeiafeotcdfieldwithwhitemustard; the worm having agreataversioa 

 to its acrid roots, and, havin^f no other sustenance, will, if the weeds be 

 kept down, it is supposed, die of famine. The crop is afterwards fed off 

 by sheep. Otlters strow ia the soil pieces of rape-cake of the size of a 

 hazel nuti the worms eat into it and are killed. Traps ha«rc been fornvod 

 of slices of potatoes, turnips, aad other roots, placed in the ground, with a 

 skewer of wood stuck thiy>«gh them for a liandle. These are examined 

 every morning, and the worms obiaiiMid in them are removed or destroyed. 

 The following plan has been sugg<.'stcd for geUing rid of it in its attacks 

 on turnips. Boys were employed to collect the worms at the rate of 2d 



• Some of those are more popularly known as "Mc?gy-mony-fe^" A deteriptioo 

 of tho Berwick«liirc spcciirs, by Dr Joluiston, may bo founrt In Loudon's Ifagmslne 0t 

 Natural UistOJ y, viii., 4^0, 494- 



t .M'latoBh'a Praetieal Oardsner, 76. 



