HOP WIREWORM. 143 



the whole time, excepting when they may go down deep in cold 

 wecather, it is a very important matter to save the expense of 

 trapping or attack, by taking measures that the ground should 

 be (as far as is possible) clear of them before planting, and 

 also that they should not be brought in with vegetable-soil.^ 



When pasture is to be broken up for Hops, it is of service 

 to brush it early in autumn with chain or brush-harrows, and 

 dress it with lime-compost ; this is a great preventive of the 

 beetles laying their eggs. Folding sheep so that the grass is 

 eaten very close answers the same purpose. 



In preparing the ground it is much better, as regards getting 

 rid of the Wireworm, to trench with the spade two spits deep 

 than to plough with the subsoil plough following. The weeds 

 and Grass-roots, and the like, in which the Wireworm feeds 

 are not as thoroughly got rid of, even by deep ploughing, as 

 by being thoroughly put down below by the spade, and the 

 Wireworm has consequently plenty of food to keep it thriving 

 until the new crop is put in. 



Paring and burning is serviceable as a means of getting rid 

 of the Wireworm and its food together, but has its drawbacks 

 agriculturally; and it should be borne in mind that the Wire- 

 worm will go down as much as twelve inches in cold weather, 

 therefore it is well to pare and burn before cold has set in ; 

 also the parings should be collected and burnt at once, or the 

 Wireworms will very speedily secure themselves again in the 

 ground. 



All possible care in removing the clods with Grass-roots, 

 and clearing the ground of rubbish which would keep the 

 Wireworm in food-plants till the Hops come, would answer. 

 (See "Wireworms" in Corn.) 



The fresh vegetable-soil from old hedgerows or similar 

 places brought in to restore old Hop-grounds is particularly 

 likely to bring in Wireworm. It would save after expense to 

 have the fresh field-soil heaped with lime or gas-lime, and the 

 surface of the heap turned from time to time, to destroy Grass 

 and weeds, which would otherwise serve as well for food to the 

 grubs here as in the field. Gas-lime would thoroughly destroy 

 all it touched — insect or plant — at first, if fresh from the 

 works, but the atmospheric action or mixing with the earth 

 would rapidly change its chemical nature to the sulphate of 

 lime or gypsum serviceable to the crops. 



It is noted that in planting, "one good well-rooted set in 

 good soil will make as good a stock as two or more ; but it is 

 safer to put two, for fear of Wireworm" (C. W.) ; and in the 

 early spring season, when the Hop-plants are dressed and the 

 hills covered with a little fine earth, it would probably answer 

 well to add some insect-deterrent. 



