Queries and Answers to Queries. 317 



made of a kind of mousetrap formed by an empty flower-pot buried in the 

 soil, with the bottom on a level with the surface. Now, the unfortunate 

 animal must, by this means, be subjected, as it appears to me, to perhaps 

 the most agonising of all deaths, dying by inches of hunger and thirst. I 

 have no doubt that the effect I have pointed out did not occur to your 

 correspondent ; and he, I dare say, as well as your other correspondents, 

 will excuse my suggesting the use of any kind of trap by which vermin may 

 be instantly killed, instead of being subjected to the agonies of a lirigering 

 death. I hope my motive will afford an excuse with you for this intrusion, 

 and I remain. Sir, yours, &c. — Agrestis. 



Every humane gardener will sympathise with us in feeling grateful to this 

 correspondent, for recalling our minds to those general principles of justice 

 and humanity which ought to be exercised in every case, both in calling 

 beings into existence, and in depriving those which are in existence of life, 

 or even of liberty. We take blame to ourselves for not having long since 

 adverted to the subject ; but now that the idea has been put forth by Agrestis, 

 we trust an impression will be made on the minds of gardeners, by discus- 

 sion in this Magazine, and that decided humanity will in future prevail in 

 practice. Let every young gardener, before he kills a slug, a worm, or a 

 caterpillar, imagine how the act would be performed by Agrestis, or by Mr. 

 French, (p. 188.) — Cond. 



Art. XI. Queries and Anstuers to Queries. 



Wire-worm. — My dear Sir, According to the idea suggested to me in 

 your letter, I have tried slices of potato, turnip, parsnep, and carrot, as bait 

 for the wire-worm; and a thought having struck me that beet-root, from its 

 saccharine nature, might attract them, I cut some up, as well as slices of 

 the stalks of broccoli and other cabbage, to which, and the beet, they cer- 

 tainly give a preference. The destruction of the worm by this simple pro- 

 cess, is astonishing. I find frequently two, three, and four attached to the 

 bait, which I place on each side of the plant I wish to protect, about two or 

 three inches under the surface, with a small stick thrust into it, so that, in 

 an instant, I can examine the spot. I feel most grateful to you for the hint, 

 as, no doubt, by a little attention, I shall save many plants this season from 

 certain destruction ; as well as in the end, most probably, exterminate the 

 worm altogether. I am, my dear Sir, &c. — A. B. B. 



Destroying the Wire-werm, in reply to A. B. B. (Vol. III. p. 495.) — Bury- 

 ing a slice of turnip, or broccoli stump, nearly close to the plants most likely 

 to be infested, will, in a great measure, prevent their destruction. Being much 

 annoyed by them in a new flower-garden made last winter, I put lime and 

 different things round the plants, but to no purpose. I then had recourse 

 to the above remedy ; and, by examining the slices twice a week, I soon 

 found them greatly diminished, and, in fact, scarcely lost a plant after the 

 application. Yours, &c. — Frederick Mould. Avington, March \l. 



Wire-worms, in answer to A. B. B. (Vol. III. p. 494.) — In my opinion, 

 sliced potatoes, turnips, or apples, are not attractive baits for wire-worms; 

 though sliced turnips and cabbage-leaves are so for slugs. I find young 

 lettuce plants the best baits ; and a constant succession of young plants ought 

 to be kept from March till November, in gardens in which they abound. 

 The plants, of course, will require to be constantly examined; and a small 

 sum per score ought to be given, by way of inducement, to boys or other 

 labourers to catch them Most birds are fond of wire-worms, but they 

 have some difficulty in finding them ; for, though they keep near the surface 

 of the ground in the spring, summer, and autumn months, they very seldom 



