Inquiries and Replies. 473 



Inoculation of Seeds. 



lUcJunond. — Oan tlie bacleiial inoculation of seeds be applied lo 

 wlieat and other cereals:' 



(Triootfontein Scliool of Agriculiuie replies: Certain eoiniiiercial 

 preparations of these bacteria are claimed to o>ive o-ood results with 

 cereals, jiotatoes, vegetables, and other cultivated plants. The in- 

 disputable fact that these bacteria only live in association with 

 legumes effectively controverts this statement. ]iacterial inocula- 

 tion, at its best, is only applicable to leguminous ])laiits. 



Calls on Willow Trees. 



East Giiquahiud . — I am posting you some specimens of galls 

 cut from my weeping willow trees. On some trees these galls are as 

 large as a man's head, and the trees seem to be dying. 



Grootfo?itein School of A</i iciiUurc ]ei)lies: The galls on your 

 willow trees are caused by a bacterium known as Pscudomouds lunii- 

 facieiif! (E. Sm. and Towns). It is capable of causing similar galls 

 on a wide variety of plants, including the common fruit trees, such 

 as the peach, apple, etc. It is sometimes ditficult to control this pest. 

 (hit out the galls together with part of the adjacent wood, and after- 

 wards sterilize the wound with some desinfectant . Remember to 

 keep the knife sterilized before it is used again on unaftected trees, 

 as otherwise you are liable to spread the disease. If the wound is 

 large paint over afterwards, i)referably with tar, l>ut any paint will 

 do. If too far gone it Avould be as well to fell the tree, and use it for 

 firewood. 



(Kead ai'ticle in the Joiiiiui] of July, 1!J21, "Crown Gall."j 



Nodular Worm in Sheep. 



Graaff-Relnet. — My sheep are suffering fiom worms, about h inch 

 long, pure white, and found mostly in the " dikderm " and " ronch^ 

 derm." I see none in the fourth stomach. Is this the wireworm or 

 some other worm P 



GrootfoMein School of Agriculture replies : The worm described 

 might be wireM'orm (Haemonchus contortus), but more probably the 

 nodular worm (Oesojjhagostouiuni coluinhimun/i). The latter causes 

 small nodules in the last part of the small intestine, and the first' 

 portion of the large intestine {caecum and colon). There is no effective 

 remedy for the nodular worm because it is so far. down in the 

 ]]itestines that drugs given to combat it are mostly absorbed from the 

 intestine, and thus do not reach the seat of infection in sufficient 

 concentration to kill the worms. 



The best line oi treatment to adopt is that based on the life- 

 history of the nodular worm. See article on " The Nodular Worm 

 and the Lesions caused by it," by Sii' Ainold Theiler, wliich appeared 

 in the Journal of Tanuarv, l!)!:^]. , 



