WIREWORM AND CLICK BEETLE. 
55 
occurs on gravel and sand, but less on light land, possibly from 
regular use of liquid manure, and looking at the returns as a whole 
they appear to show both absence or presence of Wireworm more or 
less on all kinds of soils. 
For direct remedy the customary treatment of rolling is advised, 
together with applications which may make the ground unsuitable to 
the Wireworm, or may push on vigorous growth of the plant—as gas- 
lime, salt, soot, and also guano and liquid manure. 
Seaweed is a good deal used in the island, and its application as a 
manure is noted at three places where slight attack of Wireworm 
occurred, but in reply to inquiries on this subject many contributors 
have entered “ no seaweed used.” I have not thought it necessary to 
note the non-application. 
Lime also appears to be very seldom used, but—-judging by the 
returns—to have a good effect when it is applied, and especially in 
one instance, where a liming a few years ago was followed in the 
present season by the application of kainite and superphosphate. 
The observations regarding Rooks are well worth consideration, as 
showing that the good these birds do in clearing out Wireworm is by 
no means of an unmixed kind. There is no doubt, either in the Isle 
of Man or elsewhere, that Rooks clear Wireworm and other larvae, but 
still where soil, state of crop, or want of food are such that the Rooks 
grub up and destroy the plants bodily it is matter for thought whether 
their numbers should not be lessened, or at least boys employed to 
frighten them off the crop during the few days after thinning, in 
which their work often does much more harm than good. 
The following communication is also from the Isle of Man, but 
being at some length did not admit of tabulating :— 
Glenduef, Lezayre.— No injury of any great importance has been 
caused by Wireworm this season. The crops most affected are those 
grown after green crops, and upon stubble ; the previous crops to the 
injured ones were Summer Fallows, Potatoes, Turnips, and Wheat 
out of ley, but corn on ley, which was on heavy clay soil, has been 
almost free from injury, and uninjured crops followed sown seeds and 
young pasture. 
The soil is fairly good, sharp, gravelly loam, intermingled by 
runs of white clay and peat. That which is most affected is light, 
open, sandy loam and dry peat. 
The land was well dressed with farm-yard manure and bone super¬ 
phosphate ; very little lime, about one ton per acre in a five-course 
shift; no seaweed used. 
Seed sown—of the injured crops generally in March and April, of 
the uninjured from November to Christmas. State of weather—wet 
in autumn and over dry in spring. 
