112  Report  on  Wireworm. 
most  of  these  pests,  and  nitrate  of  soda  in  small  quantities  is  most  useful  to 
force  on  almost  any  crop. 
“ Sir  Richard  Keane,  Cappoquin,  Waterford .” 
“ Some  years  ago  we  suffered  rather  severely  in  this  neighbourhood  from 
wireworm  ; but  since  adopting  the  following  system  of  top-dressing  previous 
to  ploughing,  the  wireworm  has  ceased  to  trouble  us. 
“ In  preparing  lea  for  oats,  I either  top-dress  the  surfaee  with  lime  or  by 
sheep.  When  by  lime  I prefer  to  draw  the  lime  daily  as  it  leaves  the  kiln, 
and  put  it  down  in  heaps,  which  I cover  with  earth.  The  heaps  are  small 
and  placed  conveniently  for  spreading.  They  are  allowed  to  remain  until 
the  stones  are  pulverized,  and  then  the  lime  is  spread  in  the  hot  state  over 
the  surface.  The  effect  of  hot  lime  is  to  burn  off  the  grass  and  thus  destroy 
the  food  of  the  wireworm  ; also,  when  (as  is  well  known)  they  come  to  the 
surface  after  a freshet,  they  do  not  do  well  amongst  the  lime.  Further,  I am 
of  opinion  that  this  system  of  top-dressing  has  a good  effect  in  destroying  eggs 
from  which  wireworms  would  have  hatched. 
“ I use  from  60  to  80  barrels  of  lime  (measured  before  being  pulverized) 
to  the  Irish  acre.* 
“ Top-dressing  by  sheep-folding  involves  a system  of  farming  which  I 
think  could  be  extended  with  good  results  in  Ireland.  My  method  is  to  pen 
such  of  the  flock  as  are  intended  to  be  fattened  during  the  winter  upon  the 
field.  The  size  of  the  pen  depends  on  the  number  of  sheep  and  the  extent 
of  the  land  to  be  top-dressed.  I begin  at  one  side  of  the  field,  and  enclose  as 
much  ground  only  as  will  be  thoroughly  trodden  in  one  week,  removing  the 
pen  regularly  once  a week.  The  ploughs  follow  the  moving  of  the  sheep,  so 
that  the  system  does  not  retard  the  spring  ploughing,  as  by  the  time  the  last 
of  the  sheep  are  sold  off,  and  the  last  move  made  of  the  pen,  the  field  is 
within  a day  or  two  of  being  ploughed.  The  sheep  are  fed  with  turnips, 
oats,  and  hay. 
“ This  is  a perfect  method  of  manuring  the  field.  The  braird  comes  up 
strong  and  healthy,  and  very  soon  places  itself  beyond  the  ravages  of  the 
worm  ; but  the  secret  of  success  is  in  doing  the  work  thoroughly.  I use  15 
stone  of  seed  per  acre  of  oats,  and  12  of  barley,  employing  a heavy  roller  as 
soon  as  the  braird  is  above  the  surface. 
“ I may  add  that  three  years  ago  a field  of  7 acres  was  as  an  after-thought 
ploughed  without  having  undergone  any  system  of  top-dressing,  and  it  was 
almost  entirely  destroyed  by  wireworms.  In  fact  the  produce  in  oats  from 
the  entire  field  was  only  1001  stone,  when  we  calculated  on  300  stone  per  acre. 
“ S.  Sym  Scott,  Ballinacourte,  Tipperary .” 
“ I have  for  the  last  ten  years  here  grown  from  45  to  60  Irish  acres  of 
turnips.  My  system  of  cultivating  them  is  to  plough  deep  in  autumn,  leave 
the  land  exposed  all  the  winter  until  the  proper  time  in  spring  for  preparing 
for  green  crops,  when  I first  harrow  down  the  winter  ploughing,  then  grub 
deep  with  3 or  4 horses.  Again  harrow  and  pick  off  any  weeds,  grub  again 
with  a light  grabber  drawn  by  two  horses,  again  harrow  and  roll  if  required 
(and  this  is  generally  all  that  is  required).  Before  opening  the  drills,  I like  to 
leave  the  ground  that  is  prepared  a few  days  in  dry  weather  before  opening,  so 
as  to  draw  a little  moisture.  A man  with  pair  of  horses  then  opens  the 
drills,  others  cart  in  the  farmyard  dung.  While  another  set  of  men  and 
women  spread  the  manure  and  sow  the  artificial  manure,  another  man  with  a 
pair  of  horses  closes  the  drills,  and  a man  with  pony  sows  the  turnips  and 
does  odd  work  in  the  field. 
* 100  Irish  acres  are  equivalent  to  162  English  acres;  consequently  an  Irish 
acre  amounts  to  about  one  acre  and  three-fifths  English  measurement. 
