152 Second Rcpoi^f on Ecouoniic Zoology. 



Section 1 1. 



Animals Injurious to Horticulture, 



ANIMALS INJUIIIOIIS TO CULINAEY PLAXTS. 



Enchytraeus Worms. 



Specimens of Enchytrfeus worms were sent by a correspondent 

 from Nottingham, where they were doing damage in the soil to 

 roots of garden plants. 



The family known as EiuiJiytrmidfe belong to the section of 

 Olif/ochflste worms known as Microdrili. 



The Microdrili are mostly small in size, and usually aquatic in 

 habits. They oviposit at fixed periods ; the egg sacs are large, and 

 the clitellum is only one cell thick. 



In all these characters they differ from MacrodriH — the section 

 which includes the Earth-worms. 



The family Enchytrseidie contains fifty species and eleven genera. 

 They are all small (many minute) ; they never exceed an inch or so in 

 length. Some live in salt water, others in fresh water, and some in 

 earth ; some are parasitic in plants and do much harm. 



The Aster Worm (E. j^ftrvvlus) lodges under the epidermis of the 

 roots, and feeds on the juices and tender vegetable substances. They 

 are gregarious, quite a colony often being found at one plant. The 

 plants are soon destroyed by them. The specimens sent from 

 Nottingham ])elong to an allied species, E. agricoJa (Friend), which 

 also damages roots of plants. 



They may easily be destroyed by watering \vitli either (1) lime 

 water, or, better still, (2) a solution of corrosive sublimate. 



Lime water may be prepared by mixing a pound of quicklime to 

 a gallon of water ; well mix, and strain off the clear liquid, and water 

 well with the same. Corrosive sublimate, at the rate of 1 oz. to 

 twenty gallons of water, was suggested to destroy them. 



This quantity did not destroy them all. 



Fresh information was sent — to try 1 oz. of sublimate in six 

 gallons of water (1-1000). This will kill the ordinary Earth 

 Worms (Lumhrici). The Enchytrneus worms are much more delicate 

 creatures, and it is surprising that 1 in 3000 did not destroy them all. 



