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Report  on  Wireworm. 
“ This  quantity  per  acre  will  be  very  fatal  to  the  wireworm,  and  is 
surprisingly  penetrating.  After  much  rain,  drains  3 feet  deep  in  a heavy  soil 
yield  milky- white  water  after  an  application  of  2 or  3 tons  per  acre. 
“ On  arable  land  5 tons  per  acre  is  a good  dressing,  and  fatal  to  all  insect 
and  worm  life ; deep-rooted  perennial  weeds  require  more,  especially  coltsfoot. 
“ This  ‘ waste  * and  gas-lime  are  somewhat  similar  in  nature  and  effect, 
hut  the  waste  is  more  caustic,  and  contains  about  2 per  cent,  of  soda,  very 
valuable  in  agriculture.  It  loses  the  caustic  nature  when  exposed  to  air  and 
moisture,  and  the  rule  is  to  leave  it  on  the  surface  of  arable-land  exposed  to 
air  and  rain  for  at  least  6 weeks  before  ploughing  it  in;  if  it  is  buried  in 
the  soil  before  it  has  lost  its  caustic  properties  it  destroys  the  seed,  &c., 
when  sown. 
“Care  is  requisite  in  carting  it  in  wet  weather,  for  any  liquid  drippings 
falling  on  the  horse  take  off  the  hair,  and  make  the  skin  raw  and  blistered. 
“ John  Crompton,  Hiving  ton,  Chorley.” 
“ Many  people  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Widnes  use  the  chemical  waste 
for  killing  worms,  and  also  for  manure  on  strong  land. 
“ S.  Fitton,  Nantwicli .” 
Gas-Tar  Water. 
“ Four  years  ago  I had  a field  of  9 acres  on  light  good  gravelly  soil  in 
wheat  after  oats,  and  in  February  the  plant  began  to  die.  Rape-dust,  heavy 
rolling,  and  nitrate  of  soda  at  the  rate  of  2 cwt.  per  acre  were  successively 
tried,  but  little  benefit  appeared  to  result.  1 then,  as  we  have  gas  made  near, 
got  a water-cart  about  half  filled  with  the  water  off  the  gas-tar ; and  diluted 
it  just  weak  enough  not  to  kill  the  plant,  and  applied  it  by  means  of  a 
watering-can,  and  found  a most  beneficial  result. 
“ J.  Prince,  Foston,  Derby. ” 
Application  of  Seaweed. 
“ The  Island  of  Shapinsay  is  7 miles  long  and  5 miles  broad,  and  is 
surrounded  on  the  east  by  the  German  Ocean,  on  the  north  and  west  by  the 
Atlantic  ; it  is  distant  from  Kirkwall  4 miles  by  sea. 
“ Good  crops  are  general  when  the  spring  is  warm  and  dry.  The  principal 
manure  used  for  ley  ground  is  seaiveed,  which  probably  accounts  for  the 
absence  of  wireworm,  which  is  quite  unknown  to  the  farmers  in  Orkney. 
“ T.  McDonald,  Kirkwall,  Orkney .” 
“ In  regard  to  seaweed,  it  is  largely  used  all  along  the  sea-coast,  where  it 
can  be  procured.  It  gives  good  crops  of  all  kinds,  especially  turnips  and 
grass.  Corn  does  well  in  dry  seasons,  but  in  wet  it  is  liable  to  lodge,  and  the 
corn  and  straw  are  inferior.  Seaweed  is  destructive  to  all  kinds  of  insects,  and 
I doubt  not  to  the  wireworm  also. 
“ John  Sutherland,  Berridale,  Caithness.” 
“ The  wireworm  is  sometimes  troublesome  in  the  gardens ; but  to  the  farm 
crops  it  does  very  little  damage,  in  fact,  it  is  very  seldom  seen.  The  farmers 
and  crofters  use  a great  quantity  of  seaweed,  which  I have  no  doubt  is  the 
reason  why  there  is  so  little  wireworm. 
it 
C.  Grierson,  Isle  qf  Mull.' 
