affecting the Potato-crops. 115 



They revel In damp and undisturbed land : draining is therefore 

 obnoxious to the TipulcB maggots. 



The eggs are scattered among the grass and weeds. 



The larvcB of Tipida oleracea and T. paludosa are Yxwmgfrom 

 April to August, and destroy turnip^ potato, beet, carrot, and 

 cabbage, as well as corn crops, and injure pastures and garden 

 plants. 



These gnats are most abundantyrom July to November. 



Wheat cannot be grown after clover -leas, owing to the maggots 

 of the Tipuloe and the wireworms. 



Repeated rollings with CrosskilTs clod-crusher, or breast- 

 ploughing the turf and burning it, are the best remedies against 

 the maggots. 



LarvcB of Tipula maculosa injurious to corn and potato crops on 

 light lands, and very destructive in gardens in the spring and 

 summer. 



These gnats abound in May and June, when the eggs are laid. 



Watering with salt or nitrate of soda would free the land, as 

 well as searching round sickly and dying plants early in the 

 morning. 



Repeated dustings of soot, sea-sand, and salt, would probably 

 destroy the maggots. 



Rolling grass at the proper season will destroy the gnats, and 

 prevent the deposition of eggs. 



Clover- stubbles should be kept close fed by sheep, &c., as it is 

 an excellent remedy. 



Rooks, starlings, sea-gulls, lapwings, snipes, and pheasants, con- 

 sume immense quantities of subterraneari larvce or grubs. 



Wireworms drill potatoes in the summer and autumn, if not 

 earlier. 



Potatoes when left in the ground attract all the wireworms, as 

 will sliced potatoes when covered with earth. 



Oat crop saved by sowing soot and guano. 



A different species of ivireworm destroys both sound and dis- 

 eased potatoes in France. 



Snake millij^edes assist in destroying potato-crops on the first 

 appearance of disease. 



lulus pulchellus is the most abundant and mischievous. 



Centipedes in abundance in potato-grounds, especially Lithobius 

 forcipatus and Geophilus electricus ? 



They are said to be carnivorous, and G. electricus leaves a train 

 of light as it walks. 



Podura phimbea'^ in abundance about rotting potatoes in 

 February. 



A Tick, and 3 mites, named Acarus coleoptratus ? Glyciphagus 

 fecularum, and Tyroglyphus feculce, inhabit the decaying tubers. 



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