50 CORN AND GRASS. 



some cases probably, in some certainly, lie quite below the mere sur- 

 face position of the autumn eggs or uewly-hatclied grubs of the Daddy 

 Longlegs. When the grubs are near full growth they can go down to 

 a considerable deptb, as noted at p. 48, where they are mentioned as 

 lying from four to six inches below the surface, and it is the power of 

 boring in the land Avhich this shows, that makes it so desirable to be on 

 the alert to check attack at the very beginning, and so difficult to deal 

 with it afterwards. 



In ploughing, such working as presses the furrows together, and 

 turns the sod over smaller and lighter for the harrows to break over, 

 is much better than where the furrows are turned so as to afford a 

 shelter to the grub. 



Observations on this head are, however, given in my Ninth Report; 

 and in the two preceding Reports many details are given of Daddy 

 Longlegs attack, and methods of treatment, which it is unnecessary to 

 repeat here, as tbe main points up to date have also been given in my 

 ' Manual,' 2nd Edition, and recently in my 'Text-book of Agriculture.' 



But tbe results of all the observations (stated shortly) show the 

 great importance of prevention : of forestalling attack by all the means 

 in our power, which will prevent egg-laying ; or give no food for the 

 grubs ; or destroy them when still near the surface. Also such pre- 

 paration of the land as will give a good seed-bed, and encourage a rapid 

 and healthy growth, but bearing m mind (so far as attention can be 

 given to the fact) that Daddy Longlegs grubs can make themselves 

 perfectly at home in farm manure beneath the plants, and have been 

 recorded as carried out in it to the field. 



All measures of remedy when the attack is set up, such as hand- 

 and horse-hoeing, rolling, hand-picking, and the like, are a quite 

 certain addition to expense, and not all certain cures, though often 

 palliatives ; and the most hopeful applications in an infested growing 

 crop appear to be chemical manures, which will be obnoxious to the 

 grub, and push on such a hearty growth, that so much of the crop as 

 is not killed may fairly make up for the loss of the rest. 



Of these, nitrate of soda is very obnoxious to the grub (where it 

 reaches it), and is good for the plant; guano and salt mixed, at the 

 rate of 4 cwt. the acre, have been found exceedingly useful in bringing 

 a failing Corn crop well over attack. Also a mixture of guano 1^ cwt., 

 kainite and superphosphate each 1 cwt., and salt 2 cwt. per acre, 

 applied to a twenty-acre field of Oats after Clover did well, — in the 

 words of the owner, " We have the crop restored, minus the cost of 

 manures." Li this case manures, labour, &c., of which details were 

 sent, amounted to d631 ; and these additional outlays (especially where 

 they are simply money thrown away) are a most objectionable 

 ncrease of cost of production of the crop, where circumstances 



