96 BOARD OK AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



and at the same time enjoyed in a considerable degree the 

 beneficial influence of liming in increasing the yield of tubers 

 of merchantable size. By taking these various precautions at 

 the suggestion of the Rhode Island Station, a lady farmer in 

 the State reports this year a smooth crop for the first time in 

 several years. 



Fifth. If the soil is already badly contaminated with the 

 scab fungus no treatment of the tubers will insure a smooth 

 crop. 



Sixth. If the soil is contaminated, rolling of the " seed " 

 tubers in flowers of sulphur and scattering sulphur upon the 

 seed tubers in the drill, as first suggested by Halstead of New 

 Jersey, will lessen the scab. This is, however, an expensive 

 treatment. At the Rhode Island Station sulphate of ammonia 

 (ammonium chloride would doubtless accomplish the same re- 

 sult), muriate of potash, and acid phosphate applied in the drill 

 have been found effective in lessening the scab in soils already 

 contaminated. These materials also serve a manurial purpose 

 at the same time. 



THE INFLUENCE OF LIMING UPON THE FINGER-AND-TOE OR 

 " CLUB-FOOT '' DISEASE OF TURNIPS AND OTHER PLANTS. 



It has been found by investigators in England, and later in 

 the United States, that liming counteracts to some extent the 

 tendency to " finger-and-toe " or " clrb-foot " disease in the 

 turnip, cabbage, and other closely related plants. J. A. Voelck- 

 er of England tested the effect of gas-lime and slacked lime 

 as compared with no treatment. As a result it was found that 

 the least " finger-and-toe " disease resulted where the slacked 

 lime was used. 



WHEN TO APPLY LIME. 



In order tO' answer the flood of questions coming to the 

 Rhode Island Station concerning the best time to apply lime, 

 especially for grass lands, three plats were prepared in the late 

 summer. All three were manured in an identical manner. 

 To one plat slacked lime was applied at once and thoroughly 

 harrowed into the soil. The same amount of lime from the 

 same lot was set aside until the following spring, when it was 

 applied to the surface of the second plat as a top-dressing. 



