28 REPORT ON INJURIOUS INSECTS FOR 1905. 



WIREWORMS. 



During the past year a series of experiments have been made 

 in connection with the larvae of the Click Beetles, commonly known 

 as wireworms. 



On three different plots of land, all equally badly infested, 

 three different experiments were carried out. 



On plot i the substance used was a proprietary article offered 

 for sale by Messrs. Strawsons. This firm very kindly placed at 

 my disposal a supply of their " Vaporite," which they asked I 

 would report upon exactly as I found it. 



On plot 2 a second proprietary article, termed " Betol," sold 

 by the Boundary Chemical Co., of Liverpool, was put down. 



Plot 3 received \ Ib. carbolised naphthelene, mixed with 7 Ibs. 

 of sand, to every seven square yards of soil. 



In all cases the material was scattered on the land and then 

 hoed in. 



The results of these experiments so far are as follows : 



PLOT I. The " Vaporite " was put down early in the year, and 

 peas and beans were sown as in the previous year. Owing to the 

 enormous number of wireworms, all the plants were completely 

 ruined in 1904; many only just came through the soil, and then 

 died ; others grew about a foot high, and a very few flowered and 

 produced poor, shrunken pods. 



In 1905, as soon as the peas were above the surface, some of 

 the soil was turned over, and large numbers of dead wireworms 

 were collected, and there was no difficulty in making out the re- 

 mains of others that had been dead for a longer period. A good 

 healthy crop was produced in 1905. 



At the present time (March, 1906) it is only by long and con- 

 tinuous searching that a wireworm can be found, whereas last year 

 at this season there was no difficulty in gathering ten to twenty 

 from every spadeful of soil. 



In addition to using this substance for wireworms, I have plots- 

 infected with millipedes, etc., to which it has been applied, and 

 upon whch I hope to report at a later date. 



So far experiments would seem to show that we have here an 

 effective remedy for one of the farmer's worst pests. 



PLOT II. Unfortunately, this experiment was not commenced 

 until late on in the season, and with only a small quantity of 

 material. It is proposed to repeat it later. 



PLOT III. The experiment on this plot was very similar to 

 that on plot I, although the results were scarcely as satisfactory. 



I have frequently pointed out, when advocating the value of 

 poultry to the farmer, what a large amount of good they do if put 

 on to the land with portable houses, and moved from day to day. 

 We should hear much less of wireworms if this system became 

 more general. Recently Mr. W. Tudge, of Kington, has given a 

 very striking illustration of the effectiveness of fowls in this 



