1762 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



attacked, also many ornamental shrubs 

 in tlie field. In garden and truck fields 

 almost all crops may serve as hosts. The 

 Gruciferae seem the favorite host, cab- 

 bage especially, and radishes to almost 

 the same extent. Beets, beans, peas, corn 

 and potatoes all suffer. Field crops of 

 hops, wheat, clover and rape are common 

 hosts. The small fruits are also attacked, 

 strawberry plants often being injured 

 severely during a wet season. 



These pests locate at the surface of the 

 soil, where they feed on the host and sap 

 its energy. The feeding punctures thus 

 formed afford a ready means of entrance 

 for a decay that soon renders the plant 

 worthless. I have found them feeding on 

 the radish at a depth of three inches. 

 During the night they come above 

 ground. It is at this time that they at- 

 tack the leaves of plants, often climbing 

 up to the foliage of certain of the bush 

 fruits. Young cabbages suffer most. 

 Whatever the host, the evidence that this 

 slug is the offender may usually be found 

 in the coating of mucous left behind. En- 

 tire plantings are often devoured or ren- 

 dered worthless by this pest, and no sea- 

 son passes that the slugs do not collect a 

 heavy toll. Dry weather checks their 

 feeding, but does not cause them to cease 

 operations entirely. At any time when 

 the soil is again moist, they may appear 

 in numbers. 



Katural Enemies 



Birds are probably the greatest natural 

 check we have for the control of the 

 slugs. The thrush is especially fond of 

 them. Moles and shrews also feed on 

 these slimy creatures. Certain of the 

 Carabid beetles and their larvae have 

 been found feeding on the slugs. Centi- 

 pedes also attack them occasionally. Do* 

 mestic fowls will feed on the slugs and 

 may sometimes be used to advantage in 

 checking them. 



Control Measures 



With such a variety of host plants as is 

 enjoyed by this slug, and because of its 

 general habits, it is necessary to practice 

 both preventive and remedial measures 

 for its control. 



PreventiYe Measures 



Remove the refuse tops, stumps, etc., 

 after the crop is gathered. Clean up all 

 weeds and trash about the fields and in 

 fence corners. In my observations the 

 point from which the original infesta- 

 tions seemingly took place was a strip 

 of stinging nettles (Utnca lyalU), about 

 the borders of the field. The slugs oc- 

 curred in the dense, cool growth all the 

 season and in all stages of development. 



Traps, consisting of pieces of board, 

 sacking and similar materials may be 

 placed about the field. The slugs will 

 collect under these in the early morning 

 and may be gathered up in a salt-water 

 solution or otherwise destroyed. 



Eemedial 



Air'SlaTced lime ten parts, hellebore one 

 part, or air-slaked lime five parts and 

 tobacco dust one part, are both very good 

 and would possibly prove efficient. 



The arsenical sprays, applied as an 

 under spray, are worthy of trial. 



The air-slakcd lime alone is unsatisfac- 

 tory for our conditions west of the Cas- 

 cades. Crude carbolic acid emulsion is 

 not satisfactory. 



Bait, air-slaked lime and salt, air-slaked 

 lime 96 parta and caustic soda 4 parts, 

 and tobacco dust, are among the mate- 

 rials recommended by various authors 

 which seem to give very fair success. 



Drippings are recommended by one 

 authority, who suggests rubbing the 

 grease over the underside of well grown 

 cabbage leaves and distributing them 

 about the field. The grease proves very 

 attractive to the slugs, which gather here 

 in numbers and may be collected. It 

 would seem that an arsenical poison 

 might be added to drippings and the 

 leaves thus serve as a poisoned bait. 



Poison Bran Mash — consisting of 

 coarse bran 16 pounds, Paris green 1 

 pound, salt % pound, cheap syrup 1 gal- 

 lon, and warm water to make a coarse 

 mash is good for cutworms and should 

 prove equally effective for the garden 

 slug. The material may be placed in 

 small heaps about the base of the host 

 plants. 



