CAULIFLOWEE DISEASE. 257 



This infestation was little noticed in the following year, and 

 I am not aware that it has been observed since to any im- 

 portant extent. 



We are still without knowledge as to where the infestation 

 came from, and also we do not know what remedial appli- 

 cations may be of service in checking the diseased growths, 

 l)ecause these were already fully developed when the attack 

 was first brought under my notice towards the end of May, 

 1889. Then it appeared to me that as the great number of 

 plants successively sent me were masses Of infested malformed 

 growth, the best suggestion I could give was to destroy them 

 as rapidly and as thoroughly as could be done, so as (if 

 possible) to stamp out the Eelworm })resence. 



The only clue that (so far as I see) we have at present 

 towards checking this special form of attack lies in the 

 circumstance of scarcely any of it (perhaps one plant in fifty) 

 being observed on the spots where, respectively, a manure 

 heap, and also Potato clamps, occupying about half an acre, 

 had been. These spots were dressed with the same peat 

 moss, &c., manure, and in the same proportion as the rest of 

 the field ; so this shuts the door on the probability of the 

 infestation being brought in the manure, which suggested 

 itself. But it certainly points to difference in state of surface 

 soil affecting amount of attack. Whether the plants throve 

 and did better on these spots, and so resisted attack better, 

 or whether the Eelworms which might be present were buried 

 and killed, is at present unknown ; but still we may get 

 some practical help towards prevention from the above ob- 

 servation. 



The attack appears to be of rare occurrence, but it has 

 obviously power of doing great mischief when it does appear ; 

 and as the deformation is so very noticeable, it might be 

 worth while on the first observation of commencement of 

 the mischief to try the effect of some of the applications 

 which have been found to answer well for checking " Stem 

 Eelworm " sickness in Oats and Clover, for which I give a 

 few recipes. 



Sulphate of potash at the rate of 1 cwt. per acre has had a 

 good effect in stopping the disease and bringing a good crop ; 

 also at the rate of about j cwt. per acre it has done well. 



As a manurial application, a mixture of about two joarts 

 sulphate of potash, three parts sulphate of ammonia, and four 

 parts of phosphates brought remarkably healthy plants, with 

 few exceptions. 



A recipe found to answer well in case of attack in " Tulip- 

 rooted Oats " or " Stem-sick Clover " is — sulphate of ammonia 

 four parts, sulphate of potash one part, and steamed bones 



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