124 
Report  on  Wireworm. 
large  quantities  of  wireworms  were  observable.  Two  loads  of  common  salt 
were  procured  and  sown  broadcast,  and  it  was  not  found  that  any  of  the 
potatoes  were  eaten  by  the  wireworms. 
“ S.  Massey,  Church  Lawton,  Cheshire .” 
“ I had  two  fields  in  clover  last  year,  both  heavy  crops,  and  each  dug  up 
in  the  autumn.  One  was  sown  with  about  4 cwt.  of  salt  per  acre,  the  other 
left  without  any  dressing.  No  wireworm  has  appeared  on  either,  but  the 
salted  field  is  more  than  double  the  crop  in  both  thickness  and  vigour, 
though  I should  incline  to  say  that  the  other  field  was  naturally  rather  the 
better,  and  both  were  treated  to  exactly  the  same  quantity  of  manure  last 
year.  So  we  may  say  that  the  salt  (even  minus  the  effect  on  wireworm)  has 
had  a valuable  effect. 
“ 1 see  some  few  fields  worked  by  wireworms  principally  after  wheat, 
which  was  itself  worked  by  wireworms  last  year,  and  being  a late-cut  crop 
(the  worst  field  was  not  cut  at  all,  and  was  shooting  until  the  end  of 
September  1881),  probably  the  eggs  were  laid  in  the  crop  of  weeds  at  the 
bottom. 
“ G.  W.  Latham,  Sandbach,  Cheshire .” 
“ When  I see  cabbage  or  any  of  the  Brassica  tribe  showing  signs  of  wire- 
worms  being  at  the  root,  I put  a ring  of  salt  about  3 inches  from  the  stem 
around  each  plant.  This  either  kills  or  disperses  the  wireworms,  and  the 
plant  makes  fresh  roots  and  does  well.  In  very  dry  weather  the  plants 
require  watering  with  a rose  after  the  application  of  the  salt. 
“ J.  Craig,  Shifnal,  Salop.” 
“In  the  year  1871  my  attention  was  called  to  the  damage  done  to  a 
field  of  wheat  by  the  wireworm,  nearly  one-sixth  of  which  was  destroyed  by 
them.  I was  induced  to  try  the  effect  of  Leopoldshall  kainite,  and  applied 
a dressing  of  about  3 cwt.  per  acre  to  the  whole  field,  at  the  same  time 
applying  superphosphate  and  nitrate  of  soda.  The  wireworms  did  no  farther 
damage. 
“ Some  two  or  three  years  after  I noticed  many  wireworms  when  my 
potatoes  were  got  up,  and  just  before  sowing  with  wheat  I applied  5 cwt. 
of  kainite  to  the  potato-ground  (1  acre),  none  being  applied  to  the  other 
part,  where  mangolds  were  growing.  In  the  following  spring  the  land  which 
had  received  the  kainite  was  unhurt,  whilst  the  other  portion  was  thinned 
a good  deal  by  the  grub,  and  we  had  to  dress  it  also.  I have  frequently  had 
to  use  kainite  since,  and  I never  knew  it  to  fail  if  applied  in  time. 
“ T.  S.  T.  Carrington,  TJttoxeter.” 
“Regarding  the  attack  of  wireworm,  there  is  never  destruction  to  any 
great  extent  by  it  in  this  district.  I have  never  had  trouble  with  it  to 
any  extent  beyond  small  patches  in  a field,  these  I always  dressed  with 
nitrate  of  soda.  The  soil,  where  I had  to  apply  it,  was  stiftish,  and  mortar- 
like, where  a proper  mould  could  not  be  easily  got.  I applied  the  nitrate 
at  the  rate  of  2 cwt.  per  acre,  and  the  kainite  about  4 cwt.,  but  I think 
more  kainite  could  be  applied  with  advantage.  Care  must  be  taken  to 
apply  these  salts  when  wet,  otherwise  there  is  a risk  of  burning  the  plants. 
“ J.  H.  Leslie,  Blairgowrie,  Perth.” 
Gas-Lime. 
Application  of  gas-lime  as  a means  of  clearing  ground  of 
wireworms. 
