WIREWORMS. 115 



as a paring that would clear off a large proportion of the 

 Wireworms in warm weather would very likely pass above 

 almost all of them in winter, and leave them uninjured to 

 come up to the surface in spring. 



A summer fallow, and burning all rubbish on the ground, is 

 also recommended. By this means the grubs at the shoots are 

 destroyed at once, and those in the ground die for want of food. 



Strips of Grass or Clover should not be left growing in the 

 field, or at the sides, for the Wireworms feeding in these will 

 spread themselves round and damage the neighbouring crop. 



Such methods of cultivation as will ensure a strong healthy 

 growth are of great imijortance ; the Wireworms injure and 

 weaken a great deal more than they destroy ; and if the soil 

 is so prepared as to ensure healthy germination of the seed, 

 and vigorous growth from the first, the plants will push on 

 and get over the attack, where weak plants would sink under it. 



Drilling manure with the seed will help in this matter. 

 Probably any manure that acts rapidly will be of service, but 

 Lawes's Turnip-manure has been found to answer well with 

 Barley on a badly-infested piece after dead or bare fallow, the 

 parts of the field not thus treated having more than half the 

 plants destroyed. — (B. B.) 



A mixture of guano with superphosphate of lime, drilled 

 with the seed on pasture-land broken up the previous year, 

 has similarly brought a good crop, whilst the rest of the 

 plants on the field perished by Wireworm. Dissolved bones 

 drilled with the seed also do good. 



Soot and also guano have been found to stop the mischief 

 in bad attack on Oats. The soot was applied at the rate of 

 sixteen bushels per acre, the guano at the rate of two 

 hundredweight, " all in a pouring rain." Many of the 

 patches that were apparently destroyed put out new roots at 

 about half an inch below the surface, and the crop was 

 excellent. 



In this case there would be benefit from the manure being 

 washed down into the soil for immediate use, and if on the 

 first signs of attack, before the strength of the plant is gone, 

 any kind of liquid manure that may be preferred was applied 

 at once, — by the liquid manure-cart, where this is practicable, 

 — it would do much good, partly by driving some amount of 

 the Wireworms away, but chiefly by giving the plant strong 

 food in a form that it could take up at once, and so counter- 

 balance the lessened supplies conveyed up the partlj^-eaten 

 stem. 



Any stimulating manure, whether chemical or otherwise, 

 suitable to the soil, which is easily soluble by rain and which 

 would thus come quickly into action, would be of service. 



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