WIKEWORM. 95 



and especically in such places as grass meadows, or 

 clover leys, where the surface is undisturbed for a 

 time, possibly for years, and consequently the ground 

 below swarms with Wireworms of all ages. When the 

 pastures are broken up, these tough-skinned grubs are 

 in no way hurt, but remain in the ground, ready to 

 feed on each succeeding crop that is put in, until the 

 time for their change comes. 



Clover leys and pastures are the main starting-point 

 of Wireworm-attack to our field crops, and the method 

 of treatment may be considered under the two heads : 

 firstly, how to prevent egg-laying, and clear infested 

 laud, before re-cropping or sowing ; secondly, how to 

 lessen ravage, or support the plant under it, if Wire- 

 worm is found present in the growing crop. 



To 2)revent egg-laying the ground should be made as 

 unsuitable as it can be for the purpose. It is advised 

 to feed down the grass as bare as possible before 

 ploughing, or to go further, and pen sheep on it, 

 gradually moving the hurdles forward, so that every 

 part of the field may be thoroughly trodden. The 

 sheep in this case are fed with Turnips and other 

 regular feeding stuffs, and the amount of liquid and 

 other manure thus worked into the land, thoroughly 

 prevents the field being inviting for eggs to be laid on 

 it, and destroys any eggs that might be on the surface. 

 Dressing pasture-land with lime brought fresh from the 

 kiln, and spread hot so as to burn the grass, answers 

 well. Sowing salt, at the rate of 5 to 8 cwt. per acre, 

 on grass or ley before breaking up has also been found 

 to answer, and good dressings of caustic gas-lime, or 

 of alkali waste strong enough to destroy all live 

 matter on the surface, are very serviceable. Paring 

 the surface, and collecting and burning the parings, 

 gets rid of a deal of Wireworm, if the burning is done 

 whilst the Wireworm is in it ; and in any case 

 gathering up the surface rubbish, and burning it, is 

 useful as a preventive, for, even if the Wireworm his 

 left the locks of roots for a time, we thus get rid of the 



