56 Second Report on Economic Zoology. 



intervals. Soot and lime should be broadcast over the infested land 

 in damp weather, first early in the morning, then again late in the 

 day, a third dnsting being often necessary next day. Watering M'ith 

 paraffin emulsion kept them away, but was not entirely successful ; 

 in any case, it could not be adopted on a large scale, such as attacks 

 in hop gardens. Traps of various kinds were set, the most suc- 

 cessful being heaps of bran-mash and heaps of oatmeal. 



Garden borders, lettuce beds, which were being completely ruined, 

 were soon cleared by this method. The bran seemed nearly as good 

 as the oatmeal. It was put a1) )ut in heaps every few yards and 

 examined every day. As many ;:s fifty slugs w^ere taken in one day 

 irom a heap about six inches square, 1,500 being taken by this plan 

 along a border thirty yards long and one broad. In wet weather they 

 can be collected during the day ; but when there was little moisture 

 but few could be found during the day, numbers, however, at night. 

 The borders and beds so treated were soon practically cleared of this 

 pest. This could easily be done on a large scale in hop gardens, and 

 would be sure to lessen the evil very rapidly. It would be as well to 

 put the bran -mash between every few hills in the parts of the gardens 

 infested. 



Witli regard to Ijirds, the decrease in many districts of thrushes, 

 blackbirds, etc. is to be deplored, because they are gi-eat slug and 

 snail destroyers. The blackbird is an acknowledged pest in bush- 

 fruit plantations ; but the fewer blackbirds we have the more 

 molluscan and insect pests ; and as we can keep birds off our fruit 

 with ease, if sliglit cost is not objected to, by keeping boys in the 

 plantations with -guns or clappers to scare them away, and as slugs 

 and snails are extremely difficult to cope with, it is surely wiser 

 policy to encourage the birds. 



The employment of ducks in orchards and hop gardens is another 

 way in which slug attacks may be kept in check, and at the same 

 time the ducks get much natural food, and so cost less to keep. 



With regard to the attack at Farleigh, Mr. Montague Ballard, of 

 Bydews Place, Tovil, wrote me in May as follows : — " Slugs in this 

 locality this year are causing some trouble ; the outside of the 

 gardens seem to have the most slugs, and they come in the same 

 places most years, and we do not know what to do with them." 

 To this the following reply was sent : — 



" With regard to the slug attack in your hop gardens, the fact 

 that they occur chiefly on the outside of the gardens is important, for 

 it shows invasion comes from a limited area. As this pest occurs 

 more or less every year, I should feel disposed to dress the land with 



