side the head; the first, second and third, immediately behind the head,, 
each bears a pair of four-jointed, tapering legs, which are tipped with 
a single claw; on the underside of the last segment is a tubercle, which 
is used as a kind of terminal foot, and which is perforated for the ter¬ 
mination of the alimentary canal. 
“As corn is usually the first thing planted in this country on land 
broken up from the sod, it is the crop oftenest attacked by the Wire- 
worms and the one in regard to which we hear most complaint. In 
England, oats being the crop which usually follows, is the one that 
suffers most; and it has been observed there that the danger was 
greater the longer the land was in grass. 
“Wheat is subject to their attacks, and is sometimes greatly injured 
by them. 
“Potatoes suffer severely from them in England, and we hear of the 
same thing in various parts of the United States. They are also quite 
fond of turnips, in fact more so than of any other root crop, but in 
this country this crop does not appear to be often injured by them. 
“In attacking cormthey not only eat the roots and penetrate the- 
subterranean stem of the young plant, but eat into the kernel before 
it has germinated, thus destroying it.” 
The following facts in reference to their history in Illinois, taken 
chieflv from the old numbers of the Prairie Farmer , are of sufficient 
interest to be at least brought together here. They help to complete 
our knowledge of the habits of these troublesome pests, and by com¬ 
bining and comparing them with more recent data, enable us, now 
and then, to determine some hitherto unknown law by which these in¬ 
sects are governed. From such historical notes the reader c*ui also learn 
something in reference to the remedies which have been used and 
the results ; and perhaps thereby save himself trouble and expense in 
trying experiments which have heretofore proven valueless. 
In the June number 1845, page 136, I find the following, apparently 
editorial, in reference to the Wire-worms: j 
“They are more destructive upon corn and beans because the small 
quantity of seed planted enables them to concentrate their efforts for 
greater destruction. We have taken out, this season, more thantwen- 
ty from one hill of beans—five or six of them having bored their way 
into a single kernel. Grain so perforated will sometimes come up ; 
but will present a woful and pock-marked appearance and more gen¬ 
erally come to nothing. 
“We have tried soaking in saltpetre, but without much success. 
They will endure a considerable quantity; and a little too much de¬ 
stroys the germinating power of the seed. * * * Copperas water 
is'also strongly recommended, but this is liable to the same objection 
with saltpetre.” 
In volume XI—1851, page 209, I find the following statement: 
“On taking possession of a piece of ground five years ago, lor a gar¬ 
den,—now in this city, (Chicago), but then out upon the prairie we 
found it infected with Wire-worms. They were present by thousands 
in every part of the soil, and the question was, how to get rid of them. 
Two years after we procured some refuse salt and sowed at the rate of 
three and a half bushels per acre, in the fall of the year. On work¬ 
ing the ground the following summer the Wire-worms had taken 
themselves away, save a few stragglers which have been gradually 
