Rcpoi'ts to the Board of Agriculture. 155 



The growth of a Millipede takes place by lengthening posteriorly, 

 the growth evidently lieing between the penultimate and last seg- 

 ments. jVIillipedes, according to Miss Ormerod, lay their eggs from 

 December to May. As this does not agree with Sinclair's obser- 

 vations, it possibly applies to some other species of Millipede. 



The most injurious Millipedes belong to the Jxdidpc and PolydcH- 

 midfe. The latter are the flattened Snake Millipedes. The species 

 most usually sent is JvIvh jndchcllvj^. It is nearly half an inch long, 

 slender, alDout the thickness of a fnir-sized pin, pale yellowish-pink 

 in colour, with a double row of purple spots on it. 



Jnlva tcn'esfris, another common species, is l:»lack, and lias a 

 pointed tail. 



Young J)Ui liave three pairs of legs on the second, third and fifth 

 segments. These Juli feed upon all manner of roots. The smaller 

 .77//?^s' puhludlu^ eats into potatoes, lilies, and often hollows tliem 

 completely out. The larger species also feed upon snails, slugs, and 

 some insects, according to some observers. 



The flattened Millipedes, or Foh/dcsmi, develop in the same way 

 as the Juli. The common species, Polydesmus comijlunatiis, is pale 

 purplish- white to a dull rosy tint, nearly an inch long, with the sides 

 notched. The young have their legs on the second, fourth and fifth 

 segments. 



Centipedes or Chilopoda are beneficial, the food consisting 

 of snails, slugs and ground insects. The eggs in Litlwhivfi are laid 

 from June to August. They are about the size of a No. 5 shot, 

 spherical in form, and covered with a sticky slime. The female 

 rolls them about in the earth until they are all covered with soil and 

 resemble grains of earth. A small number only are laid by each 

 female. The males frequently devour the eggs before the female 

 coats them with earth. The earthy coat serves to protect them from 

 the ravages of the male. In the other genera the habits vary to 

 some extent. Geopliilus are said to lay their eggs in an earthen cell, 

 whilst Scolopendra bring forth living young. 



PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL MEASURES AGAINST MILLIPEDES. 



These pests are frequently distributed with leaf-mould, which 

 should therefore be examined before being used, and if found to 

 contain them should be mixed with lime. Their numbers in the 

 field may also be lessened by broadcasting lime over the surface and 

 working it into the soil. Soot and water in the proportion of a 

 handful of soot to half n gallon of water is found to drive them 



