138 PICTORIAL PRACTICAL CARNATION GROWING. 
and eating its way through this into the stem, so that plants trans- 
planted or potted up in late summer may contain wireworms in their 
stems. Such plants dwindle in spring when they should be growing, 
and finally die. In other cases the wireworm does not commence its 
attacks until the plants are well established in pots or beds, and for 
a time may be content with gnawing the roots. Anon it attacks the 
stem, usuaily immediately below the surface of the ground, eating a 
hole into the centre, and then working downwards or upwards, 
sometimes to a considerable height into the stem. Of this the 
grower is not aware until the plant ceases growing or shrivels 
up, and then to his great annoyance and loss the wireworm is 
found in the stem. Vengeance may be taken on the culprit, but 
it is too late to save the plant. 
The treatment for wireworm is wholly preventive. Where 
there is a suspicion of it the ground should be dressed with rape 
meal, 7 lb. per rod, 4 oz. per square yard, before planting in autumn 
or spring, leaving the stuff on the surface or very lightly pointing it 
in. The wireworm will come up to feed on the rape meal. In two 
or three days after applying it, dress the ground with mustard dross 
(the refuse from mustard mills), 14 oz. per rod or 4 oz. per square 
yard, and lightly point it into the soil. The ground may he forked 
over before applying the mustard dross, and any unearthed wire- 
worms despatched. It is advisable to allow a month or six weeks 
to elapse after dressing with mustard dross before planting Car- 
nations or Picotees. 
If wireworms show themselves in a bed of Carnations, place pieces 
of Carrot on the end of pointed sticks, bury the baits 2 or 3 inches 
under ground, and examine them daily ; the wireworms will be found 
feeding on the Carrot baits, and can be destroyed. Pieces of oil cake 
about 2 inches square, with a skewer thrust into each, and inserted 
in the ground, make better baits even than Carrot, but the soil 
immediately surrounding the linseed cake bait should be closely 
scrutinised for the wireworms. Mustard dross may also be used to 
check wireworm infection in planted out beds, not using more than 
4 0Z. per square yard, and not applying it over the plants. 
Badly infested land should be dressed in autumn with gas lime 
(fresh, not stale), } cwt. per rod, 12 lb. per square yard, leaving it on 
the surface a month or six weeks before digging it in. If applied in 
autumn and the ground is forked over once or twice before planting 
ANIMAL ENEMIES. FIG. 66 (NEXT PAGE).—APHIDES OR GREEN FLY. 
M, a plant in a 6-inch pot stunted and dwarfed by a bad attack of Aphides : 
¢, young grass infested; ¢, central leaves curled and completely checked 
in growth by Aphides. 
N, an attack on the flower buds and the points of the grass: e, flower 
buds covered with green fly; jf, points infested, stunted, coated 
with excretions, and weakened. 
O, green fly: g, wingless viviparous female ; , winged viviparous female. 
