WIREWORM IN POTATO CROPS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1535, 4 January 1887, Page 4

WIREWORM IN POTATO CROPS.

Some consternation has been caused by the discovery, among some potatoes growing at Op*waj of a species,of wireworm, whose ravages ore so serious as to have completely destroyed the crop, the tubers'' being completely riddled into fragments by the boring of the worms. Io the specimens received at this office, the larvee are six or seven-eighths of an inch in length and about one-sixteenth of an inch io thickness. They are of a dark red color, the shade deepening with tLe age of the worm, and are of a very bard shell-like-oature'. \ Specimen infected tubers have been submitted to Mr W. E. Ivev, Director of the Sohool of Agriculture, Lincoln, and to Mr W. de G. Beeves, officer in Charge of the Department of Agriculture, and it appears that this is not a new pest, but has been knowD for several years by potato-growers, especially on newly-broken-up peaty soils, or after very old pasture. It has been known to exist for four or five years in the same Boils, but has not spread , beyond the localities where it was generated. It has, however, in Home instances attacked wheat, and in England it is a frequent custom to plant potatoes or carrots to attract the insects, the- crop with the larvee being afterwards destroyed as far as possible and the germ exterminated by manuring the land with gas lime.. Common salt is mentioned as a cure on heavy lands. The Department of Agriculture has given instructions for an investigation into the matter forthwith. It is stated that die infected crop at Opawa was giown from imported seed.—Times.