79 
SLUGS. 
Field Slug. Limax agrestis, Linn. 
Black Slug. Arion hortensis, Ferussac. 
These common pests have been reported as very injurious at 
various places in the past season, and, as the treatment in the follow¬ 
ing case proved successful in clearing a bad attack, I am kindly per¬ 
mitted to give the following communication :— 
On July 31st I was favoured with a note from Lord Portman 
relatively to Slugs, which were causing much harm to his Turnip crops 
at Bryanston, Blandford. The specimens forwarded were mainly of 
the Field Slug (Limax agrestis),* together with a very few of the Arion 
hortensis, sometimes known as the Black Slug. 
The attack, which was to Turnips on land broken up after Clover, 
which had been mown in two successive years, was very severe. The 
Turnips had been resown twice, and on each occasion the plant had 
been destroyed by being eaten just above the root and below the leaf. 
Salt had no effect, and lime also failed. Looking at the point that the 
Slug has a power to moult off a coat of lime a few times successively, 
and thus get rid of an obnoxious dressing, but that after this operation 
has been repeated two or three, or at least a few, times that the 
creature requires an interval to regain this power, it was suggested to 
repeat the dressings several times, as near together as could be, and 
the result, as shown by the note given by permission of Lord Portman, 
was a thorough clearance. 
It is mentioned:—“We ploughed a furrow round the attacked 
plot, and filled it with quick-lime to cut off pest invaders. We fed the 
adjoining land very close with sheep and cured any Slugs therein. We 
then dressed the Turnip land with a mixture of soot and lime in one 
part and salt in the other. The first day did but little good ; the 
second doses were effectual, and, being repeated at dawn and dusk, 
killed the enemy. 
“ The soot and lime acted best. 
“We have now a good crop of Rape, which was sown when the 
* The Limax agrestis is exceedingly common, and may be distinguished in a 
general way by its moderate size, its light ash or cream colour, which has been 
stated to get darker and mottled with brown flakes later in the season, and also by 
the shield on the back having slight concentric lines on it, which are more faint and 
distant than in the other species. It is stated to produce several families, averaging 
fifty each, during the season. The Arion hortensis is also very common, and is 
about the same size as the “Field Slug,” but may be known from it by the shield 
having a rough surface, as if shagreened. The colour is wonderfully variable, being 
“brown, red, yellow, grey, greenish, or black,” usually somewhat striped along the 
back and sides, and covered with coarse oblong tubercles. (See Jeffrey’s ‘ British 
Conchology,’ vol. 1). — Ed. 
