THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



trodden and eaten bare. This treads many wireworms to death, and those escaping pass 

 deeper into the soil, often a foot or more in frosty weather, and do not become vora- 

 cious again before spring, before which time the turf ought to be cut. A dressing of 

 salt, 10 cwt. per acre, applied a few weeks in advance of cutting turf, is excellent for 

 destroying destructive larvae; also a mixture (salt, 3 cwt., and nitrate of soda, 1| cwt. 

 per acre). These elements act inimically on predatory larvaB, and trees grown in the 

 turf are healthier and more fruitful than are those forced into soft growth, by the flush of 

 grassy sward. Turf in the latter condition should have one-tenth part of hot lime strewn 

 through it, and a bushel of soot distributed evenly through each cartload. These improve 

 the turf and drive away vermin. 



Ground intended for fruit trees or strawberries, in which wireworm is present, 

 should be heavily limed. Lime is an absolute necessity on soils broken up from scrub, 

 or where there have been hedgerows, or the soil is of a vegetable nature. The lime 

 should be fresh from the kiln, placed in small convenient heaps, covered with earth, and 

 left until slaked, spreading whilst hot. This burns off the grass, and destroys eggs from 

 which wireworm would hatch, also slugs and other obnoxious creatures. "When the 

 land is foul with wireworm, fresh gas-lime should be applied in autumn, at the rate of 3 to 

 5 tons per acre, or 42 pounds to 70 pounds per rod, spreading evenly and letting it 

 remain for six weeks ; then lightly work it in. Gas-lime destroys all parasitic germs. If 

 the land cannot be treated in the above manner in autumn, and there is known to be 

 wireworm, apply gas-lime in February, at the rate of \\ to 2 tons per acre, or 20| to 2S 

 pounds per rod, and let it lie a few days before working in. This causes wireworm to 

 disappear where its numbers are not great, and admits of planting shortly after its appli- 

 cation. Paring and burning the rubbish of rough portions of freshly-broken- up land 

 and hedgerows gets rid of many beetles, eggs, and grubs. Turf stacks allowed to become 

 overgrown with grass and weeds retain wireworm indefinitely ; in bare soil they cannot 

 live long. To trap and keep wireworms from feeding on vine or other roots, bury pieces 

 of carrots, potatoes, or squares of fresh turf about 2 inches deep in the soil, and if each 

 bait has a stick thrust through it, this serves as a handle by which it may be taken up, 

 and the wireworms which have penetrated it can be destroyed. If these traps are attended 

 to daily, and renewed as required, wireworms may soon be extracted from fruit borders. 

 There is a number of species of Agriotes besides that named, the grubs of which feed on 

 roots and live for several years. The most destructive are A. obscurus and A. sputator, 

 but all yield to similar preventive and remedial measures. 



