Lime as a Slug Destroyer

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 30, 21 August 1888, Page 3

Lime as a Slug Destroyer

f Everyone knows that lime will kil slugs or snails which are brought int< contact with it. One way of getting ' rid of these creatures, is to sprinkli this substance over the places w'hicl ' are infected at the time when th< • slugs come out seeking for food. Th< method is but little employed, how i ever, on account of the difficulty whict i is found in sprinkling the powdei . under the leaves or amongst the branches of the plants in such a waj , that it will reach the pests. Tw( i years ago I bethought myself of using for the purpose a pair of bellows such . as is employed to sulphur vines. The • result has been so satisfactory that ] feel I ought to give the public the [ : benefit of my experience in the adopts tion of this simple process. The lime L should be slaked in the ordinary way, i but not moistened over much ; then, i after it has been dried and sifted, it will be ready for use. A handful or t so is then to be put into the bellows, I and the latter is to be worked just as ; it would be if the operator were about jto sulphur a vine. The lime will be ■ thrown out regularly, and will diffuse ; itself through the air like a kind of fog, and make its way into the hearts , even of the most compact plants. When it has been well dried (and it ■ should be understood that this is an essential condition to the success of the experiment;, it will even remain in ' the air for a few seconds. All the groundings and slugs which are on the surface of the ground will then perish, as will also the snails which have come come out of their' shells. The best time to choose for the purpose is either when it is quite dark or, better still, early in the morning when the dew is on the ground, for then the insects are hard at work feeding. If there has been soft rain, preceded by drought, the gardner ought immediately to take advantage of the opportunity and make the tour of his garden, bellows in hand, for it is at such a time tnat the obnoxious creatures will come out in the greatest abundance.