10 



grubs, being deprived of their usual food, attack the roots of a 

 large number of vegetable crops. The chief destructive species 

 require from two to three years to complete their growth in 

 the grub stage. 



Control. — Late fall plowing, which brings many grubs to 

 the surface and exposes them to the adverse weather conditions, 

 is useful. Avoid planting potatoes, beets, corn and other crops 

 likely to be injured on the same land in successive years. 

 When the garden is being prepared, all white grubs detected 

 should be removed by hand and destroyed. Wild birds and 

 domestic fowls feed readily on upturned grubs. Hogs are fond 

 of white grubs, and will root them out and devour them if 

 pastured m the infested area during the fall or spring before 

 plowing. No remedy is known which can be applied under 

 field conditions when the grubs are found destroying the roots 

 of plants, tubers of potatoes, etc. 



Wireworms. 



These are the young of the so-called "click beetles" or 

 "snapping bugs." They are hard, shining, slender, cylindrical, 

 brown larvae about three-quarters to 1 inch long, which bore 

 into the seed of corn and other grains and also attack the roots 

 of corn, potatoes, turnips and many other garden crops. The 

 life history is very similar to that of the white grubs, except 

 that from three to five years are sometimes required to com- 

 plete their life cycle. 



Control. — Little can be offered in the way of a satisfactory 

 control for these pests. Midsummer cultivation will destroy 

 many, since they transform to adult beetles at this time, and 

 it has been found that a slight disturbance at this period results 

 in their death. Drainage of fields has also been found effective 

 in reducing injury in some cases. When the wireworms are 

 numerous they may be controlled to some extent by distribut- 

 ing in the garden small bunches of clover or thin slices of potato 

 poisoned with Paris green, over which should be placed small 

 boards or shingles for shelters. To protect seed corn, dip in 

 arsenate of lead paste diluted with water to consistency of thick 

 paint. Dry and plant. Rotate crops that are injured by 

 these insects with peas, beans, clover, etc., which do not seem 

 to be injured to any great extent. 



