1034. To prevent the Increase of Pismires in Grass Lands newly laid down.—Make a strong decoction of walnut-tree leaves, and after opening several of the pismires' sandy habitations, pour upon them a quantity of the liquor, just sufficient to fill the hollow of each heap: after the middle of it has been scooped, throw in the contents from the sides, and press down the whole mass with the foot, till it becomes level with the rest of the field. This, if not found effectual at first, must be repeated a second or a third time, when they infallibly will be destroyed.
1035. To prevent the Fly in Turnips.—From experiments lately made, it has been ascertained that lime sown by hand, or distributed by a machine, is an infallible protection to turnips against the ravages of this destructive insect. It should be applied as soon as the turnips come up, and in the same daily rotation in which they were sown. The lime should be slaked immediately before it is used, if the air be not sufficiently moist to render that operation unnecessary.
1036. To prevent Mice from destroying early sown Peas.—The tops of furze, or whins, chopped and thrown into the drills, and thus covered up, (by goading them in their attempt to scratch,) is an effectual preventive. Sea-sand, strewn pretty thick upon the surface, has the same effect. It gets into their ears, and is troublesome.
1037. Another.—In the gardens in Devonshire, a simple trap is used to destroy mice. A common brick, or flat stone, is set on one end, inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees. Two strings, tied to a cracked stick, stuck in the ground, with loops at the ends of the strings, are brought round to the middle of the under part of the brick, and one loop being put into the other, a pea or bean, or any other bait, makes the string fast, so as to support the brick. When the animal removes the bait, the loops separate, and the brick, by falling, smothers the animal.
1038. To Destroy Beetles.—Take some small lumps of unslaked lime, and put into the chinks or holes from which they issue, it will effectually destroy them; or it may be scattered on the ground, if they are more numerous than in their holes.