Pac:card] ES-SECTS OF THE GAEDEISr. 31 



v,-bon the tcmperaturG of the earth w.is ten degrees above 

 zero (Centigrade) ; as soon as the s:io\v melted they gradu- 

 ally rose towards the surface." 



The mischief done by the grub of the May beetle is at 

 times almost incalculable. In lawns and grass lands it cats 

 the roots of grass. Dr. Harris, in his well known Treatise, 

 saj-s that "in many places the turf may be turned up like a 

 carpet in consequence of the destruction of the roots." We 

 have lately ascertained that it seriously damages strawberr}^ 

 plants, being undoubtedly introduced in the manure. It cats 

 the main roots, and so large and voracious is this worm that 

 the roots of one plant must form a light meal for them, and 

 a dozen or so of the worms would be enough to ruin a small 

 bed of strawberry plants. It is obvious, ^.j^ oq. 



then, that if we observe a plant to wilt and 

 suddenly die, the "white worm" is at the 

 roots. It should be dug up, and crushed be- 

 neath the foot. It also eats, in a still more 

 summary manner, 3'oung squash plants, 

 when the}' have thrown out three or four 

 leaves, so that gardeners have been obliged /< 

 to plant tlie seed over once or twice. 



As to remedies against this grub, the 

 careful gardener will in the first j)hice de- Caiosoma caiidum. 

 stroy every grub turned up by the plough or spade. When 

 the top dressing is spread over the bed, he would do well to 

 examine it carefull}- for these conspicuous worms. When a 

 vine is seen to die down suddenly in summer he must then dig 

 around the roots and search for the aggressor. It is better 

 to spend much time and money for two or three 3-ears in suc- 

 cession in endeavoring to exterminate these grubs than to 

 yield passively to the scourge. It is Avell known that crows 

 and small birds feed upon them in corn fields. Skunks and 

 moles are etncient aids in killing both grubs and beetles, and 

 the larger carnivorous beetles, such as the Caiosoma (Fig. 



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