198 



SEETtE PESI^S. 



attacked, bajra [Pennisetum typlioideum) and other millets especially; 

 there are also many cases o£ injury to garden plants 

 and veg-etable crops, the grubs living for choice in 

 highly manured soil. Nurseries and especially man- 

 ured plots are usually full of the grubs, which may 

 hatch from eggs laid there by the beetles, or may be 

 put in with the manure if fai-myard manure is used. 



These grubs are difficult to destroy ; where it is 

 possible, cultivation turns them out when birds then 

 eat them readily ; flooding brings them up nearer the 

 surface where they can be more readily turned out, but 



never actually kills them or 



exposes them. In hot 



weather, anything that 



tends to dry and heat the 



Fig. 228. 

 Cochcliafer larva. 



surface soil drives the grubs down below the 

 surface roots. Artificial manure such as kainit, 

 saltpetre, etc., can sometimes be used sparingly to 

 drive them down and a dressing of soot has much 

 the same effect. This is the only thing possible 

 when grass lawns are affected, though a liberal 

 watering with soapy water may do good. 

 The beetles destroy plants in a more evident manner, coming out 

 at night in large numbers and stripping the plants. This is somewhat 



Fig. 229. 

 Cockcli afer larva, fo u nd 

 the soil. 



Fig. 230. 

 Cockchafer Beetles citing a leaf. 



