5/6 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[lo Sept., 1910. 



the purpo.se of carrying on experiments against this pest. The line of 

 experiment was the same as that for Scab, the land being .selected from 

 areas that were known to be badly subject to Eel-worm. 



As comparatively little is at present known about the nature and habits 

 of the Eel-worm, it was rather a difficult matter to suggest suitable means 

 for its prevention, and so the methods of treatment followed were more or 

 less speculative in character, and were not in any sense tests of already 

 recognised remedies. This being the case, it was to be expected that these 

 two plots would in all probability yield mostly negative results. Although 

 this proved to be so in one or two cases, still some very useful information, 

 mainly relative to the action of manures, both green and artificial, was 

 gained from these two plots. 



Green Manuring. — That green manure* acted in a beneficial way could 

 not be doubted when the produce from the manured row was gathered 

 together and compared with the unmanured rows next to it ; not only did 

 it show a higher percentage of clean potatoes, but the whole sample was 

 less blistered than the unmanured produce. The green manure was simply 

 cut in the paddocks and filled into the furrow along with the seed at the 

 time of sowing. 



The following table gives the actual gain due to use of green manure 

 in these two plots: — 



As will be seen, the gain in absolutely clean potatoes was not very 

 great, but a comparison of the total sample had much in favour of the 

 green manure. 



Artificial Manuring. — The best results in these plots for Eel-worm 

 were obtained from the use of artificial manures. 



The manures used were the same as those in the plots for Scab, the 

 object being in both cases the same — to test extra strong manures against 

 those of normal strength to ascertain if strong acids or alkalies in the soil 

 were conducive to their production. As in the case of Scab, the manured 

 section gave very satisfactory results, the returns showing a large advance 

 in cleanness over those plots which received no manure. 



The following table shows the relative value of five different manures 

 over plots receiving no manure: — 



* Although green manure gave slightly beneficial results, other experimenters, both local and 

 foreign, hold that it is favourable to the development of the Eel- worm . Growers should therefore awai 

 further experiments. — Editor. 



