Reports to the Board of Agricultitrc. 153 



The difference is jDrobably due to the Encliytrseus taking plant 

 food as well as soil, whilst the Lumhrici take in mostly earth. 



The worm-killer made under Professor A. D. Hall's advice, by 

 Harrington Brothers, is composed of the following : — Mercury 

 perchloride, 10 lbs. ; hydrochloric acid, 4 lbs. ; water, 6 lbs. 



To dilute for use, add ^ oz. fluid to three gallons of water. 



The corrosive sublimate should be watered over the ground when 

 it is moist, preferaljly after rain. 



Dr. Carpenter, in his last Report, states that these worms were 

 almost all cleared out by a very heavy dressing (one ton to acre) of 

 rouah agricultural salt. 



The Mermis Worm {Mermis nigrescens). 



A nematode worm, Mermis nigrescens, was sent by a corre- 

 spondent from Cirencester, who wished to know if it was injurious. 



The sexual form of this worm lives in damp earth and may be 

 found at the roots of plants. It also crawls up the stalks of plants, 

 grasses, etc., especially in the morning. The male is unknown. The 

 female lays her eggs in the ground, and the young, wliich are soon 

 hatched out, bore their way into the bodies of young grasshoppers, in 

 which tliey undergo part of their development. 



It was pointed out that this worm is certainly non-injurious. 



Mites {Gamasidse) in Cucumber Beds. 



Specimens of mites were sent by Dr. W. Makeig Jones, M.D., J.P., 

 from Torquay from cucumber houses. 



Cucumber houses, mushroom pits, etc., are frequently invaded by 

 Aeari of all kinds. 



They are often injurious, but, in this case, the species sent were 

 carnivorous. 



Dr. Jones was informed that the Acari sent were harmless, but that 

 the injurious kinds, a few of which exist in cucumber and mushroom 

 houses, may be destroyed by dusting flowers of sulphur over the hot 

 beds and spraying the plants with liver of sulphur and cold water. 



Liver of sulphur is best used at the rate of 1 oz. of liver of sulphur 

 to 3 gallons of soft water, in which :|^lb. of soft soap has been dis- 

 solved. 



The plants should of course be sprayed late in the afternoon. 



