WITH REFERENCE TO HORTICULTURE. 49 



no other resource, and, unless it be vigorous enough to throw out 

 lateral roots, it dies. 



To destroy worms is fortunately a very simple process ; for such is 

 the tenderness of their skin, that watering them with any caustic or 

 bitter liquid deprives them of life in a few minutes. The cheapest 

 caustic liquid is lime-water, which is made by dissolving quicklime, at 

 the rate of half a pound of lime to twelve pints of water, and letting it 

 stand a few minutes to clear. Before pouring it on the soil from a 

 watering-pot with a rose on, the worm-casts ought to be removed, and 

 the effects of the water will soon become obvious by the worms rising 

 to the surface, writhing about there, and in a few minutes dying. To 

 hasten their death, some more lime-water should be poured on them 

 after they come to the surface. The quantity of lime-water required 

 will depend partly on the depth of the soil and the number of worm- 

 casts in a given space, and partly on the state of the weather. Least 

 will be required in shallow soils moderately dry, and most in deep 

 soils either very wet or very dry. Where lime is not at hand, corro- 

 sive sublimate, ammoniacal liquors, potash, soda, or urine, may be used; 

 and a decoction of the leaves of Walnut-trees, of those of Hemp, To- 

 bacco, or Potatoes, after being partially dried and fermented, will 

 have the same effect. Hand-picking may also be resorted to ; but this 

 requires to be performed in the night-time, when the worms are on the 

 surface of the ground, or immediately after rain. Rolling early in the 

 morning especially with a hollow iron roller weighted with hot 

 water speedily crushes the worms to death, as they lie in a sluggish 

 state on the surface of grass or gravel. Worms in pots may either be 

 removed by striking the sides of the pots, which will disturb the 

 worms and cause them to rise above the surface; or by turning out 

 the ball on one hand, and picking off the worms, which seldom fail to 

 come to the outside. 



To prevent worms from entering pots, a small cap (fig. 4, drawn 

 to rull size) has been invented by Mr. Barron, which, when placed 

 over the hole in the bottom of the pot, Fig. 4. 



will permit the escape of water and effec- 

 tually prevent the entrance of worms. 

 It has been in use in the gardens at 

 Elvaston Castle for several years. All 

 soil used for potting should be carefully 

 prepared and examined, as prevention 

 in this case is much better than cure. Cap for covering the holes in 

 Among tropical plants another species of tfie bottoms of pot*. 



worm is sometimes found. The eel worm (Megascolex diffringes) 

 has all the bad qualities of the common worm in an exaggerated form, 

 and is much more difficult to catch or destroy. It resembles an eel in 

 its rapidity and mode of motion, and when disturbed it rushes to the 

 centre and not the extremity of the ball of the plants. It is most 

 difficult to exterminate, and the soil must be entirely removed, and the 

 roots washed clean, in collections where it has established itself. It is 

 of tropical origin, and cannot live out of doors in this country, where, 



