Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-14
FARM AND FRUIT.
Reports Of Exchanges - Experiences OF
OthrrS-GenaraI Notes.

Reports Of Exchanges Experiences OF
! Others-f;eneral Notes.
In her "Guide to Methods of Insect
Life" Miss Eleanor A. Ormerod consult
ing entomologist to the Royal Agricultural
Society, divides the insect enemies Of the
farm into three orders which are gubdi-
vided and classified in a manner readily
understood by non-scientiic readers OF
wireWorm5 she says: "The skipjacks, or
click beetles, do little if any harm in the
beetle state, but in the grub state-that is
| what we know as wireworms-the mischief
and loss they cause TO the country are be
yond calculation. The wireworms Will
| feed on the roots of almost all farm crops
excepting mustard, and live for five years
| before they cease eating TO turn to chrysa-
lids and thence TO click beetles. They are
commonly Of a yellowish color, and
take their name from their great Likeness
to q short thick piece Of fattened wire
The click beetles are of many kinds and
commonly about a quarter to half an inch
long and about third of that in breadth,
and of brownish color, and take their
name from their power Of regaining their
position when laid on their backs by a
sudden Jerk or skip into the air, accom-
panied by a click. The female beetle lays
her eggs on, or little below, the surface
Of the ground, among LEAKAGE and
roots, and especially in such places
as grass meadows or clover leys
where the surface is undisturbed for
time, possibly for years. and consequently
| the ground below swarms with wire-worms
Of all ages When the pastures are broken
| M al, l-
way hurt, but remain in the ground ready
to feed on each succeeding crop that is put
i'll until the time for their change comes.
To prevent egg-laying, the
ground should be made as unsuitable as it
can be for the purpose 1t is advised to
feed down the grass as bare as possible be-
fore blowing, or to go further and pen
| fold sheep on it. gradually moving the
hurdles forward so that every part of the
field may be thoroughly trodden. The
sheep in this case are fed with turnips
| and other regular feeding stufs, and the
! amount of liquid and other manure thus
worked into the land thoroughly prevents
the field being inviting for eggs to be laid
on it, and destroys any that might be upon
the surface" From this it would appear
that blowing the land in the fall would
! favor the increase of wire-worms, since tho
| loose soil would afford suitable place of
refuge for them. Miss Ormerod has this
| in mind when she says: " 1t is advised to
plow in good time in autumn, and work
the land well, so as to get it in good order
and consolidated, and, either by burning,
! rotting or whatever means may be pre-
ferred, prevent it being kept open and full
n OF
! roots, cabbage-etalks or bean-haulm, and
all such matters, are wire-worm helpers"
Barnrar,l manure is often found to harbor
wire-worms but thoroughly sailing it will
destroy the pest
FIRST MAKE LIVING.
The Tcrds Former hits the nail souarely
when il asserts that in growing crops the
leading and first purpose should be to
make a living. This should be the first
object in all pursuits A man must first
make living before he can make extra
money, hence it is point of the utmost
Importance for farmers to grow their fam
lily supplies without having to buy them.
If he raises nearly everything needed for
home consumption he is independent and
with variety of small crops he is abso-
lutely protected against total failure.
The farmer whose first object is to make
living on his farm, works for himself and
family, while the all-cotton man works for
spectators and gamblers, and they always
beat him. Banks may fail, stocks may
vanish into thin air and panics may bring
desolation and ruin to the merchant,
mechanic and Spectator, but the farmer
who farms for living is safe. He has no
debts no mortgages to disturb his rest.
His food is at home, his barns are his
store-houses. The man who farms for a
living works by the rule of good common
sense; the farmer who tries TO make
money before he makes a living works by
the rule of some other kind of sense A
little more common sense mixed with Or
binary industry. will make farmers the