110 Insect Life: Its Why and Wherefore 
worms attacking the roots, and even when 
several inches high it may yet be destroyed. 
Grain of every kind is attacked by these 
destructive little things, perhaps especially 
wheat, as well, too, as potatoes and turnips. 
The farmer, the scientist and the experi- 
enced entomologist have all done their 
best. Large sums of money have been 
spent, grants from agriculturalist societies 
made, but with little effect. Ploughing 
late in summer time and keeping the ground 
stirred as often as possible has perhaps 
done more than anything else to destroy 
large numbers of the newly transformed 
beetles and pupae. Rolling the ground and 
thus keeping it very firm will prevent them 
moving about so quickly in their march of 
destruction. The growth of mustard 
seems obnoxious to them, and when the 
green mustard is ploughed into the soil 
it has been proved to be, if not altogether a 
remedy, at least a decided check. A 
quick rotation of crops, anything which 
conduces to the disturbance of the soil is 
good, for not only does this hinder the 
development of so many of these beetles 
and their offspring, but it exposes them to 
