104 



twelve segments, fitting closely to each other; and are 

 provided with six conical scaly feet, placed in pairs on 

 the three segments next the head. The latter is 

 furnished with short antennae, palpi, and two strong 

 mandibles or jaws. 



To remove the wireworm from a soil, no mode is 

 known but frequently digging it, and picking them 

 out, as their yellow colour renders them easily de- 

 tected. To prevent their attack upon a crop, mix a 

 little spirit of tar, or a larger quantity of gas-lime, with 

 the soil. It has been stated that growing white mus- 

 tard drives them away, and it it is certainly worth the 

 trial. To entrap them, and tempt them away from a 

 crop they have attacked, bury potatoes in the soil 

 near the crop ; and if each potato has a stick thrust 

 through it, this serves as a handle by which it may 

 be taken up, and the wireworms which have pene- 

 trated it be destroyed. To decoy them from beds of 

 anemones, ranunculuses, &c, it is said to be a suc- 

 cessful plan to grow round the beds an edging of 

 daisies, for the roots of which they have a decided 

 preference. 



If a crop be attacked, as the pansy or carnation, 

 our only resource is to bury in the soil other vegetable 

 matters, of which they are fonder than they are of 

 the roots of those flowers. Potatoes, with a string 

 tied round them to mark where they are, and to faci- 

 litate their being taken out of the soil in which they 



