The Cockchafer Grub and its Cure

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 134, 2 May 1893, Page 2

The Cockchafer Grub and its Cure

♦ 'When a letter from Mr Wallis, of Beaconsfield, reached us some months ago, acconijpanied by a bos containing living specimens of the grub of the** Melolontlia vulgaris, known as the " cockchafer," we forwarded some of the latter tn Sir James Hector, and invited correspondence from experienced farmers on the subject, which was responded , to by Sir James Hector, wbo indicated ; the character of the grub, and from Mr Betemeyer, who informed our readers how to eradicate it altogether— or, at i lea^^i to^check^ 'lts^anoJ^tpfawtoß. Mr Henry Burrell, however, went farther a-fiebi, and wrote to _r r -fir__ ci' ekemi-t* in Paris, who sent hrnr'-t reply, dated November 7, 1892, giving the cure at folio w.aa& The_w^ntJdtMiii__|u_i_linted to the Academy - of : Sciences by M. M. Pnllieux and De la Croix, and by M. Giard (master of the Sorbonne) have proved that it is a mushroom parasite of the white worm (the larva of the maybug) which destroy V tha^igsectA It wns bbserVed that ih the %elds SRrere the parasite wns discovered the white worm* were dying while the crops resumed their vigor. The parasite only attacks the white worm, and; is inqfleiui.ve.Tto other animals. Instigated by the .methods of Pasteur, we have undertaken toKproduce artificially, on a large scale, this parasite mushroom 1 Botry tit Esuella. We offer to agriculturists spores contained in tubes, by the aid of which »_TJ_) i"Bpossible to utiliieithis discovery. Qgn|eul« tures are conducted with the gmrtest care! 1^ expenenoed b»ctferiot>?gi.Bts, on the most perfect scientific principles, and ' are guaranteed capable of «_>n_t_6ln«dfting the parasitic disease 7to iXDiay hundreds of worms. The following is the method of employment :— Take .a ; flat „ earthen pan, in which place a layer of earth, not very deep— so that the worms cannot hide; sprinkle it with a little n %iter, and dispose therein, Abont ~a"~huu» dred worms. Be caWruP that the pan is bigv • enough /to ( prevent the worms knocking against eacli other or injuring each other 'W-th their claws. It is important that; the worms do not die from a natnral death during the time of treatment by the spotes of therf^arXsite. (2) Break the white of anegg /jnto §bont Bix tablespoonfnls of water,. .. pou£ , iij the contents of the tubes and mix, then spread the whole over the 7 worms? : either by sprinkling, or better still 1 , by 'touching each worm near the _tiea<is with a brush and on their sides. (8) C?oyer thefspan with a board, over which place wet .moss, and bury in a fresh place in thg^ggade. (4) After about ten houraithewdrms- are afflicted with the disesurol'^Theii'' take them out one by one, 'i__nng'ca_- ( Idot to injure them, distribute them' in~ dftferent parts of the field '4i abbht lialf an^lro m the ground and cover them with earth. It is to be noticed /thaythe sfprt* do not deyelope either in v too dry' or too wet ground. .In order, to } appreciate tbe results obtained, it is taquxsito :> fo n»ke the experiment on a piece ot land isolated by either streams of Iwater' *_5r roads." With this letter Mr Burrell received a glass tube containing. ;the spores jwhich have been shared with Mr IToUmi, of Makino, and Mr Mills, of C^f^am, who will report results as sdon^as possible. We may state that pheasants' are ravenously fond of these .gral_&_»nd, therefore, farmers who like to see on their lands a good meadow should prevent as much as possible the" -indiscriminate slaughter of these beautiful birds both in and out of season. ■ , p \ t