affectinff the Turnips, Corn-crops, Sf-c. 
193 
which in some districts would not touch the Swedish turnips, and 
in others would feed upon nothing else;* consequently we see it 
asserted by one writer, that the Wireworms will not eat the 
potato, I whilst others as confidently affirm that in many localities 
the annual produce has been reduced to less than one-third. J 
Owing to these counter-statements, when I was at Glanville's 
Wootton, near Sherborne, in Dorsetshire, in October, 1840, whilst 
the potato-digging was proceeding, I made strict inquiries con- 
cerning the Wireworms ; and in a piece of common land, which 
had been broken up previous to forming a plantation, I found 
great quantities about the potatoes, and they infested all the potato- 
fields which had been lately common land, and newly-enclosed 
and broken up, notwithstanding the whole had been pared and 
the turf previously burnt.§ Some of the worms had eaten into 
the hearts of the potatoes ; and at Shaftesbury I learned that the 
potato-crops had suffered considerably from this little animal. 
Mr. Hope also says : || — " On observing several potato-plants just 
above the ground in a drooping sickly state (without an Aphis on 
them), I was induced to dig them up. In many instances I 
found the Wireworm at work, and adhering to the slices which 
had been planted ; others apparently had been partially eaten, 
were abandoned, and in a forward state of corruption Where 
the plants did not come up, which was the frequent occurrence in 
1838, I am inclined to think the slices were entirely eaten, as not 
a vestige of them could be found." Mr. Hope attributes the 
disease, which is denominated the Curl, to the Wireworms ; but 
that I think is very doubtful. He adds, that they first attack the 
potato when the slices are first committed to the earth ; and 
secondly, when the haulm is considerably grown. Mr. T. A. 
Knight's plan of planting whole potatoes instead of slices would at 
once remedy the evil. 
We learn also from Mr. Hope's remarks that the Hops in Kent, 
Worcestershire, and Herefordshire, have been repeatedly injured 
by the Wireworm. 
Cabbages are frequently destroyed by the Wireworm. A gar- 
dener in Wiltshire says that in 1829 it was with the greatest dilfi- 
culty he could bring any of the Brassica tribes to perfection;^ 
* Royal A^ric. Jour., vol. ii. pp. .376 and 377. 
■I- Trans. Yorksh. Agric. Soc, p. 6.5. 
X Remarks on Wneworms which seriously damaged the Potato-crops, 
&c., in Trans. Ent. Soc, vol. iii. p. 154. 
§ The numbers of Wireworms which infested the land after this opera- 
tion in ail probability came from surrounding spots and boundary lines, 
which were still covered with turf, and had not been subjected to this 
process. 
II Remarks on Wireworms which seriously damaged the Potato-crops, 
&c., in Trans. Ent. Soc, vol. iii. p. 154. 
^ Gardeners' Magazine, vol. v. p. 610. 
VOL. V. O 
