affecting the Turnips, Corn- crops, Sfc. 
197 
slight digression, and will now return to our legitimate object. 
Having obtained some facts from practical men highly esteemed 
in the county of Suffolk for their agricultural knowledge, I shall 
now give the results of their experience. 
Mr. Porter of Covehithe, where the lands are for the most part 
light, says that the Wireworms do most mischief in March, April, 
May, and June ; that wheat suffers the most among the corn-crops, 
and white turnips amongst the green crops, but that rye is some- 
times swept off by acres ; and with regard to barley, he has ob- 
served that when it is drilled-in 3 inches deep, the plant droops 
and turns yellow, as if attacked by the Wireworm, whereas at 1| 
inch deep it makes a vigorous plant. I may observe with respect 
to this difference of result from the depth of sowing, that it is 
possible the Wireworm may not be able to exist near the surface 
in a light sandy soil, and consequently the barley escapes when 
drilled-in at the lesser depth. Turnips and beet-root he finds 
most affected at the end of June and the beginning of August, yet 
12 acres of the latter, Avhich produced a fine plant, were com- 
pletely taken off" by the Wireworm the last week in May ; swedes 
were afterwards sown the second week in June, and to his sur- 
prise produced a fine crop. 7^he saccess of the swedes must be 
attributed, I think, to the greater part of the Wireworms having 
arrived at maturity when they had destroyed the beet, in which 
case they would change to pupae, and afterwards to beetles, in 
both which states they are harmless. Turnips do best at Cove- 
hithe if sown about the 'ilst June on the light lands, and a week 
earlier on heavy lands. On the lower part of fields bordering on 
marshes, where the land is springy and friable, barley, turnips, 
and beet have generally fallen a sacrifice, and such land is most 
subject to their attacks. When white-clover or suckling and rye- 
grass layers have been left for seed, it is scarcely possible to get a 
wheat-crop on account of the Wireworm ; the only chance is to 
break up the land and work it well about for a couple of months 
in the autumn. Potatoes never suffer on Mr. Porter's farm from 
the Wireworm. 
Mr. Robinson, of Henstead, informs me that in his neighbour- 
hood the gravelly and sandy soils are most infested, and the 
strong loam and clay most free from the Wireworms. That they 
inhabit every aspect was proved by their ravages over all parts of 
a field which was lowest in the centre. A dry season is most 
conducive to their increase, yet if the following year be wet it does 
not kill the Wireworms, but it probably destroys the Elalers, and 
prevents the deposition of the eggs. Early in March, 1841, 
when his wheat was well out of the ground, and about 1^ inch 
high, it began to die off", and on pulling some up he found the 
Wireworm had eaten into the stalk and consumed the inside. 
