Report  on  Wireworm. 
117 
“ The  wireworm  is  most  destructive  during  a cold  dry  season,  with  east 
wind  prevailing ; in  short,  when  the  growth  of  the  plant  is  suspended.  After 
a copious  fall  of  warm  rain  the  destruction  is  seen  to  cease  and  the  plant  to 
revive. 
“ David  Rowland,  Titley,  Herefordshire.” 
“ There  seem  to  be  two  plans  for  trying  to  get  rid  of  the  wireworm:  one  the 
starvation  of  the  worm  by  fallowing,  the  other  by  the  application  of  some- 
thing strengthening  to  the  crop,  and,  if  possible,  also  injurious  to  the  worm  ; 
rolling  and  hoeing  are  resorted  to — anything,  in  fact,  which  may  push  on  the 
crop  and  disturb  the  worm. 
“ R.  Cooke,  Detling,  Maidstone.” 
“ . . . having  arrested  their  progress,  it  is  advisable  to  resort  to  the  most 
highly  stimulating  manures,  and  with  no  sparing  hand,  in  order  to  force  the 
remaining  plants  to  such  a degree  as  to  enable  them  to  cover  the  ground  and 
become  sufficiently  strong  to  resist  the  attack  of  the  worms  that  may  escape 
from  their  imprisonment,  or  may  hatch  afterwards. 
“ Here  again  is  another  point  in  favour  of  keeping  land  in  the  very  highest 
state  of  cultivation,  both  as  to  manure  and  mechanical  condition.  Weeds 
should  on  no  account  be  allowed  in  anything  but  a state  of  infancy,  as,  if 
permitted  to  cover  the  ground,  they  weaken  the  crops,  and  afford  a ready 
supply  of  cover  and  food  to  the  pest. 
“ Adam  Lee,  Lydbury  North,  Shropshire, 
“ For  the  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Powis.” 
“ Manures  into  the  composition  of  which  sulphuric  acid  largely  enters  are 
thought,  when  drilled  with  turnip  seed,  to  repel  the  wireworm  ; but  I do  not 
consider  that  any  caustic  manure  or  rape  cake  put  into  the  land  will  in  any 
way  affect  wireworm,  except  by  stimulating  the  rapid  growth  of  the  plants. 
“ On  light  land  probably  the  application  of — 
“ 2 cwt.  of  rape  cake,  at  the  cost  of  ..  ..  Is. 
2 cwt.  of  superphosphate,  at  the  cost  of  ..  8s. 
1 cwt.  of  kainite,  at  the  cost  of  ..  ..6s. 
* Total  ..  21s. 
per  acre,  will  be  found  one  of  the  best  fertilizers  of  wheat.  When  sown 
broadcast  at  the  time  of  drilling  the  seed,  this  manure  carries  the  plant  out  cf 
reach  of  attack,  and  gives  a satisfactory  return  on  light  lands.  On  clay  it  is 
useless. 
“ Ralph  Lowe,  Sleaford,  Lincolnshire.” 
“ If  the  crops  are  attacked  the  best  means  that  I have  noticed  for  saving 
them  (white  straw  crops),  is  to  dress  them  with  some  nitrogenous  manures, 
such  as  nitrate  of  soda,  by  which  they  are  induced  to  grow  away  fast  from 
the  pest,  which  prefers  very  young  growth. 
“ Robert  L.  Pudxey,  Halstead,  Essex.” 
“ The  use  of  artfficial  manures,  nitrate  of  soda  to  the  com  crops,  and  super- 
phosphates to  the  root  crops,  I have  no  doubt  is  the  proper  thing,  so  as  to  push 
the  young  plants  on  as  quickly  as  possible. 
“ T.  R.  Hclbert,  N.  Cerney,  Cirencester.” 
“ In  a 20-acre  clover  ley,  dunged  and  sown  with  wheat,  a strip  right 
through  was  attacked  rather  severely.  This  was  rolled  and  nitrate  of  soda 
