THE GRASS GRUB

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16340, 14 May 1927, Page 11

THE GRASS GRUB

MAKES ITS APPEARANCE HOW TO FIGHT IT OUT The grass grub is showing up badly on some farms in the Wanganui district, but there is some small consolation in the knowledge that other parts of tho coast,, particularly South Taranaki, are troubled to a greater extent. Advice as to methods of dealing with the pest are given by Air. .1. W. Deem, Instructor in Agriculture. On the subject of this pest, Air. J. W. Doom states that the grub, working just under the surface of the soil, cuts the roots of grass plants. This goes on for several months during autumn and early winter while the grub is in the growing stage and the iand is dry. Enter, when cold weather sets in and the land becomes wet and cold, the grub goes much deeper to escape frost and cold and does not do much harm. Tn the spring it turns into a chrysalis and later emerges as a full grown beetle.

If the weather is dry a great number of the grass plants that arc cut off die and are pulled out by stock or blown about by wind. If, on the other hand, frequent rains are experienced a certain amount of re-rooting takes place aiul a number of plants become re-established.

Treatment consists of doing everything possible to consolidate infested land so as to give the grass roots a chance to re-establish. A heavy roller is very useful in this connection and where the grub is troublesome, frequent rolling after rain will be found beneficial. Probably the most satisfactory mode of treatment is to feed out hay and roots on the infested parts so as to cause as much tramping as possible.

Grub infested areas should be topdressed with super, basic slag, or a similar dressing. These fertilisers encourage root development, and for this reason they should be placed in a handy position so that the new roots of flic struggling plant will find them quickly and so become re-established. If the hay feed contains plenty of seed it will not be necessary to sow more, but if oaten liav or hay that has boon cut very green is used, it is desirable to do a little surface sowing on the worst patches with grass _ and clover seeds suitable to the district. Wanganui Chronicle.