INDIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. 181 



a variety. The other species, however, of the genus have 

 similar grubs, many of which probably contribute to the 

 mischief. When told that it lives in its first (or feeding) 

 state not less than five years, during the greatest part 

 of which time it is supported by devouring the roots of 

 grain, you will not wonder that its ravages should be so 

 extensive, and that whole crops should sometimes be cut 

 off by it. As it abounds chiefly in newly broken-up land, 

 though the roots of the grasses supply it with food, it 

 probably does not do any great injury to our meadows 

 and pastures a . 



* The wire- worm is particularly destructive for a few years in gar- 

 dens recently converted from pasture ground. In the Botanic Garden 

 at Hull thus circumstanced a great proportion of the annuals sown 

 in 1813 were destroyed by it. A. very simple and effectual remedy 

 in such cases was mentioned to me by Sir Joseph Banks. He re- 

 commended that slices of potato stuck upon skewers should be buried 

 near the seeds sown, examined every day, and the wire-worms which 

 collect upon them in great numbers destroyed. 



This plan of decoying destructive animals from our crops by offer- 

 ing them more tempting food, is excellent, and deserves to be pur- 

 sued in other instances. It was very successfully employed in 1813 

 by J. M. Rodwell, Esq. of Barham Hall near Ipswich, one of the most 

 skilful and best informed agriculturists in the county of Suffolk, to 

 preserve some of his wheat-fields from the ravages of a small gray 

 slug, which threatened to demolish the plant. Having heard that 

 turnips had been used with success to entice the slugs from wheat, he 

 caused a sufficient quantity to dress eight acres to be got together ; 

 and then, the tops being divided and the apples sliced, he directed 

 the pieces to be laid separately, dressing two stetches with them and 

 omitting two alternately, till the whole field of eight acres was gone 

 over. On the following morning he employed two women to examine 

 and free from the slugs, which they did into a measure, the tops and 

 slices; and when cleared they were laid upon those stetches that had 

 been omitted the day before. It was observed invariably, that in the 

 stetches dressed with the turnips no slugs were to be found upon the 

 wheat or crawling upon the land, though they abounded upon the 

 turnips; while on the undressed stetches they were to be seen in 



