118 



COKN AND GKASS. 



the progress of the Wireworm along the drills, are measures 

 found more or less serviceable ; here the object of the treat- 

 ment is, by stirring the soil, to encourage the growth of the 

 plants and to harass and disturb the Wireworm. — (E. A. F.) 



This also throws the land open to help from the birds. Eooks, 

 starlings, plovers, peewits or lapwings assist in keeping down 

 the Wireworm. Partridges also, and pheasants, help in 

 the work, but damage to the plants in search for the " worm" 

 at the roots has to be considered where birds are too 

 numerous. 



Rotation of any ordinary croj^ is of little or no use as a 

 means of AVireworm prevention, excepting with regard to 

 Mustard. A crop of Mustard, " allowed to grow to a consider- 

 able length " ; or to " about a foot or eighteen inches high," 

 or " allowed to stand until it comes into flower " and then 

 ploughed in, or a crop of Mustard (simply mentioned without 

 special details), was strongly advised by contributors to the 

 Eoyal Agricultural Society's Eeport before quoted from, as 

 serviceable for preventing attack, also cleaning after fallow. 

 " There is no crop that increases Wireworm so much as 

 ' Couch ' and weeds ; and often, when land has been fallowed 

 the previous summer, the Wireworms are quite as destructive 

 in the next spring as they are on the Clover-ley Wheat." — 

 (G. Burgiss, The Farm, Strutherglen, Petworth.) 



In garden-cultivation, one exceedingly important means of 

 prevention is to avoid the use of infested turf. The broken 

 turf should never be used without having been thoroughly ex- 

 amined so as to make sure there are no Wireworms in it. If 

 it is only wanted in small quantities, this can be easily done ; 

 the turf can be broken by hand into small bits, so that its 

 state can be seen. 



Where a large quantity is wanted, it is a good practice to 

 throw the turf in a heap after being mixed with fresh gas-lime, 

 a dressing of gas- lime being also spread over the heap. 



The sulphide which is present in frcsli gas-lime will kill all 

 vegetation and insects, and by the time the turf is required for 

 use it will be converted by the action of the air and moisture 

 into sulphate of lime (gypsum), which is serviceable in various 

 ways as a manure. 



If turf-heaps are allowed to get covered with Grass, it is of 

 no use, so far as getting rid of Wireworm is concerned, to 

 have them at all ; for these grubs will be as perfectly well 

 suited there as in the field. If we are to get rid of theWire- 

 worm feeding at the roots, we must get rid of the growing 

 Grass or plants, and any treatment is good that brings this 

 about, whether it be turning the heaps, liming, burning, or 

 otherwise. 



