THE GRUB. 135 



the eggs which it harbours, will vary as the circumstances 

 of the soil or locality. In good soil, free from stones, the 

 plough, with its skim-coulter, with running or dragging 

 weight and chain, will be found an efficient implement, 

 peeling or paring off the rough surface, and depositing it in 

 the bottom of the furrow. In cases of stony, rough soil, 

 this implement would not be adaptable, the plan then to 

 be adopted being the taking of a light furrow in the first 

 place, and then following this up by a deeper furrow in the 

 same trench. But in place of using two implements one 

 might be arranged; and we are inclined to believe that 

 Hancock's Pulveriser Plough would be found efficient, for 

 not only will it effectually bury the surface lea, but it will 

 bring the soil into that finely pulverised condition so es- 

 sential to the healthy and rapid development of the plants. 

 And this rapid development is of most vital importance in 

 the case of a corn crop likely to be attacked by grub, just 

 as much so as it is in the case of the turnip crop, to bring, 

 with as great rapidity as possible, the leaves into that stage 

 where they will best resist the attacks of the fly. We be- 

 lieve, indeed, that in a method of applying manures to the 

 crop so that this rapid development of the plant in its early 

 stages is secured, lies the secret of success of growing the 

 corn crop free from the ravages of the grub ; always, of 

 course, in conjunction with the good preparation of the soil 

 and its after consolidation. Before the seed is sown, it ap- 

 pears to be a good plan to give the soil a thorough harrow- 

 ing, and after this a good turn of a heavy roller should be 

 given. After the seed is sown it is covered in by a double 

 stroke only of the harrow, after which the roller is passed 

 across. By this means a shallow covering for the seed is 

 secured, which will tend in like manner to secure a much 

 more vigorous brairding or development than would be the 

 result of a deeper sowing. If the land is poor in quality, 

 this vigorous development will be further insured by giv- 

 ing a top-dressing of some artificial manure, of all of which 

 nitrate of soda is probably the best, this being mixed with 

 common salt. Salt, by the way, is stated by some to be a 



