WIRE WORM AND CLICK BEETLE. 
29 
often skim and clean stubble for Green crops, and plough in the farm¬ 
yard manure, which is a good plan in dry, hilly land, and saves much 
spring labour.—(William Stoddart, Steward for Lord Clermont, Cler¬ 
mont Park, Dundalk.) 
I have been farming on gravel land on the four-course system, 
feeding off the roots by sheep on the land, and thereby treading it. 
As the growth of Clover as often as every fourth year encourages 
Wireworm, and the land is liable to become clover-sick, I have occa¬ 
sionally (when I had any cause for alarm) substituted Beans or Peas 
on about the worst half of the land for clover ; the other half the same, 
next time. By this means, and by firming the land, and getting it 
into good condition by manure, the crop is better able to stand attack 
of the Wireworm.—(Riclid. R. Ridler, Moreton on Lugg, Hereford.) 
As a rule I always plant Oats or Dredge (the latter a mixture of 
Oats, Barley, and Peas), as I find the Peas fill up should the Wire- 
worm thin the Oats too much. Care should (I think) be taken not to 
plough the ley-grounds too long before planting the Oats, &c. If the 
land gets too stale, besides getting grassy, experience tells me the crops 
suffer most; therefore I prefer not ploughing before the beginning of 
the New Year, for sowing in February. I also prefer sowing the corn 
broadcast on such ley ground, giving it as many as seven double turns 
with the harrows, and then rolling it. When drilled I fancy the Wire- 
worm follows the drills more quickly. 
The chief damage generally arises on the succeeding crop; after 
the Oats I generally sow Vetches, the next most certain crop, and 
least liable to the attacks of the Wireworm. After being fed off and 
the land planted with turnips the same season the roots generally fail ; 
also the succeeding crop of barley is sure to be much injured. 
The good old plan of Paring and Burning (Breast Ploughing) old 
Sainfoin and Seeds is the best way of preparing such land for any 
future crop, as it destroys many of the eggs, &c., but the increased cost 
and the scarceness of labour render the plan often impossible.—(T. R. 
Hulbert, North Cerney, Cirencester.) 
* My opinion as to why the Wireworm attacks the second crop more 
than the first is, that it is in consequence of the mechanical state of 
the soil. When ploughed after old ley the furrows come up very 
tough, and after being well rolled and harrowed are so consolidated 
together that it is difficult for the Wireworm to make a fast progress. 
Also there is other food (old roots) plentifully at hand. This is 
proved, I think, by ploughing early, and thus letting the old roots rot 
too much before planting the crop ; consequently the Wireworm at once 
* The following note was received in reply to enquiry regarding presence of 
Wireworm sometimes occurring in larger amount on the second crop than on the 
one immediately succeeding broken up ley.— (Ed.) 
