96 



SNAILS AND SLUGS, CONSIDERED 



believe, by Mr. Charles Darwin), we believe it to be entirely a delusion, as 

 we have endeavoured to show in the Gardener s Magazine, vol. xiv. p. 95. 



294. The injury done by worms in gardens we hold to be very consider- 

 able. By their casts they disfigure walks and lawns, and by cutting through 

 the roots they injure more or less all plants whatever, and particularly 

 those which are weak, (to which worms always attach themselves more than 

 to healthy plants,) and plants in pots. Seedlings of all kinds are much in- 

 jured by them, because when the point of the taproot is cut through the 

 seedling has no other resource, and, unless it be vigorous enough to throw 

 out lateral roots, it dies. 



295. To destroy worms is fortunately a very simple process; for such 

 is the tenderness of their skin, that watering them with any caustic or 

 bitter liquid deprives them of life in a few minutes. The cheapest caustic 

 liquid is lime-water, which is made by dissolving quicklime, at the rate 

 of half a pound of lime to twelve pints of water, and letting it stand 

 a few minutes to clear. Before pouring it on the soil from a watering- 

 pot with a rose on, the worm- casts ought to be removed, and the effects 

 of the water will soon become obvious by the worms rising to the surface, 

 writhing about there, and in a few minutes dying. To hasten their 

 death, some more lime-water should be poured on them after they come 

 to the surface. The quantity of lime-water required will depend partly 

 on the depth of the soil and the number of worm-casts in a given space, 

 and partly on the state of the weather. Least will be required in shal- 

 low soils moderately dry, and most in deep soils either very wet or very 

 dry. Where lime is not at hand, potash, soda, or urine, may be used ; and 

 a decoction of the leaves of ^Valnut-trees, of those of Hemp, Tobacco, or 

 Potatoes, after being partially dried and fermented, will have the same effect. 

 Hand-picking may also be resorted to ; but this requires to be performed 

 in the night-time, when the worms are on the surface of the ground, or im- 

 mediately after rain. Worms in pots may either be removed by striking 

 the sides of the pots, which will disturb the worms and cause them to rise 

 above the surface ; or by turning out the ball on one hand, and picking off 

 the worms, which seldom fail to come to the outside. 



296. To prevent worms from entering pots, a small cap {fig. 5, of the 



natural size) has been invented by JMr. 

 Barron, which, when placed over the hole 

 in the bottom of the pot, will permit the 

 escape of water and effectually prevent the 

 entrance of worms. It has been in use at 

 the gardens at Elvaston Castle for several 



Fig. 5, Cap for covering the holes in years. 

 the bottoms of pots. 



Sect. II. — Snails and Slugs, considered with reference to Horticulture. 



297- The only snail which interests the gardener is the Helix aspersa of 

 naturalists ; for that which they have named the garden snail (H. hortensis) 

 is rather a field than a garden species. The former is much the larger of the 

 two, and has a dull shell marked with three faint mottled brownish bands, 

 and a white rim round the aperture ; while the shell of the latter is glossy, 

 distinctly banded with vivid colours, and the oral rim is brown. 



