180 INDIRECT INJURIES CAUSED BY INSECTS. 



sive, and that whole crops should sometimes be cut oft" 

 by it. As it abounds chiefly in newly broken-up land, 

 though the roots of the grasses supply it with food, it 

 probably does not do any great injury to our meadows 

 and pastures a . 



Here also may be included the larva of the long-legged 

 gnat {Tipula oleracea, L.), known in many parts by the 

 name of the grub, which is sometimes very prejudicial to 

 the grass in marshy lands, and at others not less so to 



a The wire-worm is particularly destructive for a few years in gar- 

 dens recently converted from pasture ground. In the Botanic Garden 

 at Hull thus circumstanced a great proportion of the annuals sown in 

 1813 were destroyed by it. A very simple and effectual remedy in 

 such cases was mentioned to me by Sir Joseph Banks. He recom- 

 mended that slices of potato stuck upon skewers should be buried 

 near the seeds sown, examined every day, and the wire-worms which 

 collect upon them in great numbers destroyed. 



This plan of decoying destructive animals from our crops by offer- 

 ing them more tempting food, is excellent, and deserves to be pursued 

 in other instances. It was very successfully employed in 1813byJ. M. 

 Rodwell, Esq. of Barham Hall near Ipswich, one of the most skilful 

 and best informed agriculturists in the county of Suffolk, to preserve 

 some of his wheat-fields from the ravages of a small gray slug, which 

 threatened to demolish the plant. Having heard that turnips had 

 been used with success to entice the slugs from wheat, he caused a 

 sufficient quantity to dress eight acres to be got together,- and then, 

 the tops being divided and the apples sliced, he directed the pieces to 

 be laid separately, dressing two stetches with them and omitting two 

 alternately, till the whole field of eight acres was gone over. On the 

 following morning he employed two women to examine and free from 

 the slugs, which they did into a measure, the tops and slices • and 

 when cleared they were laid upon those stetches that had been omit- 

 ted the day before. It was observed invariably, that in the stetches 

 dressed with the turnips no slugs were to be found upon the wheat or 

 crawling upon the land, though they abounded upon the turnips ; 

 while on the undressed stetches they were to be seen in great num- 

 bers both on the wheat and on the land. The quantity of slugs thus 

 collected was near a bushel.— Mr. Rodwell is persuaded that by this 

 plan he saved his wheat from essential injury. 



