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Report  on  Wireworm. 
Importance  of  Healthy  Growth. 
Notes  on  Manures. 
Importance  of  such  treatment  of  the  seed  and  preparation  of 
the  land  as  will  insure  healthy  germination  and  vigorous  growth 
from  the  first,  with  mention  of  various  artificial  manures  and 
applications  serviceable  for  this  purpose,  and  opinions  of  various 
observers  as  to  the  farmyard-manure  being  attractive  to  wire- 
worms. 
“ Wireworm  infests  pretty  nearly  all  dry  light  soils  ; its  ravages  are  most 
fatal  where  the  surface  of  the  land  is  deficient  in  plant  food,  or  where  the  seed 
used  has  been  weakened  from  any  cause,  where  the  seed  has  been  deposited 
too  deep,  or  the  sowing  has  been  out  of  proper  season,  and  the  plants  have  to 
a considerable  extent  damped  off.  In  the  case  of  seed  oats  that  have  been 
slightly  heated  in  the  stack  and  make  no  proper  progress,  the  wireworm  will 
be  found  to  work  its  pleasure  amongst  them.  Or  again,  the  swathe  clover 
root  has  been  ploughed  up  late  in  the  season,  the  turf  has  not  rotted,  the 
wheat  has  been  put  in  late,  and  the  work  is  unsatisfactory,  In  this  case  the 
plant  comes  up  pretty  well,  but  in  February  it  may  be  found  that  a large 
proportion  has  damped  off.  A dressing  of  rape-cake,  or  superphosphate,  or 
guanc  would  have  prevented  this  mischief.  As  it  is,  the  wireworm  has  its 
own  way  with  the  remaining  plants,  and  obtains  the  credit  of  having  destroyed 
the  whole  of  the  crop. 
“ Ralph  Lowe,  Sleaford,  Lincolnshire.” 
“ If  land  is  in  good  condition  and  in  a high  state  of  cultivation,  wireworm 
does  not  often  seem  to  hurt  the  crops. 
“ M.  Locke  Blake,  llminster." 
“ Injury  from  wireworm  is  most  severe  when  the  corn  is  attacked  just  as  the 
seeds  are  striking  root ; that  is,  when  the  food  supplies  in  the  grain  are  ex- 
hausted, and  the  plant  is  beginning  to  depend  on  its  roots  for  nourishment. 
When  the  plant  has  reached  the  height  of  six  or  eight  inches  it  does  not  fall 
back  so  readily  under  attack. 
“ Robert  Coupar,  Scone,  N.B.” 
“ I observe  that  when  the  turnip  plant  is  attacked  in  its  young  state — that 
is,  when  about  two  inches  high — the  wireworm  nips  into  the  centre  of  the  root 
and  the  plant  dies ; but  when  the  plant  gets  a little  stronger,  and  one  or  two 
fibres  begin  to  spring  out  from  the  sides,  the  plant  receives  little  harm. 
“ R.  Renton,  Earlston,  N.B.” 
“ The  quicker  you  can  get  the  seed  to  germinate  and  grow  the  less  injury 
the  wireworm  can  do,  but  in  dry  weather  and  cold  nights  the  wireworm  will 
do  much  mischief. 
“ I consider  that  by  sowing  2 cwt.  of  rape  cake  per  acre  the  crop  may  be 
partially  saved,  as  the  wireworm  will  feed  on  this  while  the  seed  is  growing, 
■and  thus  get  a good  start. 
, “ Joseph  Addison,  Mapledurwell,  BasingstoJce.” 
“ The  application  of  artificial  manure  is  doubtless  an  assistance  to  the  plant 
by  strengthening  it,  and  causing  it  to  tiller  out,  and  so  in  part  to  compensate 
for  the  damage  done. 
