176 NEW ZEALAND GARDENING, 



the plant out of the pot, in order to ascertain its condition, 

 although in nice cultivation, and in some especial cases, this 

 is occasionally done, but in general practice it is to be 

 avoided. A little careful observation is, of course, necessary, 

 especially with respect to plants grown in peat soil ; and if 

 any uncertainty exist as to whether or not the plant wants 

 water, strike the pot with the knuckle on the side ; the ring 

 produced will, with a little practice, prove an unerring guide. 

 If this plan is followed for a short time, the ring of the wet 

 pot will be readily distinguishable from that of the dry one ; 

 this, therefore, taken in conjunction with the appearances 

 which the plants exhibit, must determine when water is to 

 be applied or not. 



The above instructions are more particularly applicable 

 to the Winter culture of pot plants. 



Wireworms. There is no plague in a garden more 

 destructive than this little industrious, though slothful-look- 

 ing insect. Where they abound whole crops are destroyed 

 in a very little time, and if a solitary specimen get into a 

 bed of carnations it will soon destroy the lot. One might 

 almost think that a pair of carnations would feed a score of 

 them for a month ; but it attacks the root, eats its way up- 

 wards to the pith, kills the plant, and makes off for another. 

 When turned up or disturbed the wireworm seems half 

 asleep, and very slow in its movements. They are rarely 

 seen to progress much, but they must be rapid travellers, or 

 one could not do a tithe of the mischief it accomplishes. The 

 only way to destroy them is to catch them ; their shelly 

 hides defy ordinary means of destruction. Salt and lime 

 water are of no use whatever. By thrusting carrots into the 

 ground many may be caught ; every time you pull up the 

 carrot you will find some sticking to it, eating their way in. 

 Heaps of rotted turfs, the most useful of all sorts for 

 potted plants, are very much infested generally, and we have 

 known several good plant growers to pass every particle of 

 the mould in which they pot their plants through their hands 

 before using it ; such is their natural and well-founded dread 

 of the wireworm. We have seen a whole crop of potatoes 

 completely destroyed by these garden and farm pests. An 

 instance of this occurred at Opawa, near Christchurch, 

 in 1886. 



