WIRE WORM, 97 



notice, especially in preparation of ground for Tur- 

 nips, that there is a great doubt whether Wireworm 

 is not often encouraged by the use of farm manure. 

 The Wireworms of two of the commonest kinds of 

 Click Beetle have been found respectively in dung, and 

 in well-rotted horse-dung. It is considered by some 

 farmers that crops so manured are the most infested, 

 and if we consider that in this manure a large portion 

 of the material is still unchanged vegetable matter, of 

 much the same kind as the "Wireworms would natur- 

 ally feed on, it gives a reason for attention to this 

 point. Thorough salting of farm manure has been 

 advised to get over this difficulty. It should also be 

 remembered, that heaps of decayed turf are head- 

 quarters of Wireworm, unless treated with caustic 

 lime, salt, or the like dressings ; also that (take what 

 pains we will) if grass headlands or grass strips are left 

 across or by our fields, there we make homes for the 

 "Wireworms, and they will add all requisite comfortable 

 provision from oar crops. 



The only crop which "Wireworm appears to have 

 customarily a great objection to is Mustard. This, 

 therefore, is sometimes useful as a cleaning crop. 



When W^ireworm is present, strong fertilisers — such 

 as nitrate of soda, guano, superphosphate, or others — 

 are serviceable ; and mechanical means, such as heavy 

 rolling, are of use, for thus the creature is prevented 

 travelling, and some of the pests are probably set fast 

 and killed. Treading by sheep, or cattle, or by the 

 heavy iron-shod feet of the horses, similarly firms the 

 soil serviceably. 



The Wireworm can be drawn away from the attacked 

 plants by dressings of rape-cake or Indian rape, that 

 is, mustard-cake, and in the latter case has been found 

 by experiment to perish in about a fortnight where it 

 had no other food, and, connecting this with the power 

 of Mustard as a cleaning crop, it suggests further ex- 

 periment would be useful. 



These are some of the main points of Wireworm 



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