POTATO PESTS. 143 



The beetles generally appear during August, but occasion- 

 ally remain in the chrysalis state all the winter, arid 

 emerge in the spring. 



REMEDIES. There are a variety of measures calculated 

 to lessen the prevalence of this pest, and the potato 

 grower is advised thoroughly to test the efficacy of each. 

 Profitable crops on land infested by wireworm are utterly 

 impossible. Gas liming and harrowing will destroy num- 

 bers of insects, and in many cases benefit tho land as well. 

 Paring and burning may also be practised, though the 

 grubs go down pretty deeply, and if only a few inches are 

 removed many will remain untouched. Summer fallow- 

 ing, and the collection into heaps and burning of all rub- 

 bish will also account for many of the pests, and by de- 

 stroying many of the roots on which they feed others will 

 be reduced to starvation. In cases of new infestation it 

 would be best to leave the ground uncropped for some 

 time, putting on a heavy dressing of fresh gas-lime, which 

 will kill everything, the grubs included. Of course, crop- 

 ping will be delayed, but it is waste of time and money to 

 keep on sowing afresh, simply to provide food for the 

 hungry pests. It must be remembered that wireworms 

 injure more than they actually destroy, and that the weaker 

 the crop the more will this injury be felt. By good culture 

 and the use of stimulating manures, such as potash and 

 nitrates, the plants will often attain sufficient stamina 

 to withstand partial attack. Among root crops, constant 

 stirring with the hoes will annoy the pests, and encourage 

 rapid growth at the same time. Moles, though undesirable 

 in great numbers, certainly devour a great number of the 

 pests, and the same may be said of rooks. It is said that 

 wireworms have a great objection to White Mustard, and 

 it might be well on newly-broken lands to sow this crop, 

 so as to starve out the pests before planting with potatoes. 

 Half measures are perfectly useless with this particular 

 pest, and unless some decided steps are taken to clear the 

 land of them, the same field may be infested for years. 

 Next to gas-liming, the use of quick-acting manures to 



