6 5 6 



Slugs and Snails. 



[FEB., 



Dry dressings of many kinds have been used for killing slugs 

 with varying success. Soot, lime, and salt have been most 

 usually employed. A single dressing of soot and ordinary lime 

 or salt and lime does very little good, as the copious flow of 

 mucus takes the effects away. Dry irritant dressings should be 

 applied twice or three times in succession to be of any avail ; 

 the second application should be about fifteen minutes to half 

 an hour after the first. The dressings should be given in the 

 early morning or late in the afternoon, or after heavy rains, 

 when the slugs or snails are active. It is useless when the 

 ground is dry and the weather hot, as the slugs cannot be 

 reached, and it must be remembered that the irritant should 

 touch the backs of the slugs. Slugs have been seen resting 

 quietly on soot and ordinary lime not in the least harmed. 

 The lime also must be fresh, and it cannot be too finely 

 triturated. 



A very fine hydrate of lime was found not only to act 

 directly by killing all the slugs it actually touched, but to 

 keep them from attacking plants around which it had been 

 spread thickly, and even where sown broadcast over the soil. The 

 sample used was found to be very lasting, remaining white on 

 the ground for four or more weeks after ordinary lime from a 

 neighbouring kiln had been washed away. An analysis of this 

 sample showed that there was some caustic soda in it, and 

 this probably accounted for the marked effect on the slugs. A 

 mixture of ordinary fine slaked-lime, with 4 per cent, of caustic 

 soda added, was made, and this had a similar beneficial effect, 

 even when applied once. This was not found to harm young 

 peas, cabbage, &c, over which it was dusted. Salt at the rate 

 of four to five bushels and lime at the rate of ten to twelve 

 bushels per acre, with the addition of caustic soda, acted in a 

 very similar way. Either of these dressings may be applied in 

 the field broadcast in early morning or late at night. 



White hydroxide of calcium in 1 per cent, solution is said 

 to destroy slugs.* 



In gardens, slugs may be successfully trapped by placing every 

 here and there small heaps of bran-mash or liquid oatmeal ; 

 brewers' grains also answer well for this purpose. These baits 



* U.S. Exp. Sta. Record, Vol. XII., No. 11, 1 901. 



