WIRE-WORMS 283 



rod, of finely crushed nitrate of soda, but keeping the 

 preparation from direct contact with seed or plant. 



(<?) A mixture of equal parts air-slaked lime and 

 soot by measure, applying half a pound of the mixture 

 per square yard, and digging in with a fork so as to 

 mix it as evenly as possible with the soil. 



(/) Sow Mustard on the infested land and when the 

 plant is coming into flower plough or dig in the crop. 

 This is excellent as a green crop manuring. In the 

 case of infested crops the best remedy is dressing 

 with Mustard dross, one and a quarter cwt. per acre, 

 fourteen ounces per rod, applying when the tops of 

 the plants are dry and keeping as much from them 

 as possible consistent with an even distribution over 

 the whole ground. A light hoeing or pointing in 

 where practicable will be an advantage. Care must be 

 taken not to give a too heavy dressing or the plants 

 will be more or less injured. 



A broadcast application of five to ten cwt. per 

 acre, three and a half to seven pounds per rod, of 

 rape dust is an old and well-known temporary 

 remedy for wire-worm, as the grubs of the Click 

 beetles are attracted by it and eat it greedily in pre- 

 ference to the crop. The rape dust, especially that 

 of Indian or Kurrachee cake, which is formed from 

 Mustard seed, both fertilises the land and attracts the 

 wire-worm from the plants. Rape " nuts," the rape- 

 cake crushed into about half-inch lumps, applied at 

 the rate of five cwt. per acre, three and a half pounds 

 per rod, and mixed with soil have been found useful, 



