STEM EELWORMS. 23 



Clover, Trefoil, and Rye Grass, and that at present only the Trefoil 

 plants seem affected. A field of my neighbour's, sown entirely with 

 Trefoil (the same seed as mine), is nearly half spoilt." — (M. A. S.) 



In regard to Mr. Streatfield's inquiries, firstly, as to effect of 

 sulphate of potash. I am not aware of any series of experiments 

 having been instituted to trace disappearance of the Eelworms from 

 the infested plants. But we know that the diseased growth soon 

 ceases, and likewise that where the sulphate dressings (mentioned 

 further on) are given at sowing time, this kind of sickness has not 

 appeared, or slightly ; therefore it has seemed to me safe to consider 

 that the dressings have a definitely injurious effect on the wormlets, 

 as well as helping the plant against them by increased luxuriance. 



Secondly, whether Oats from a Tulip-rooted crop would spread the 

 disease if used as seed ? There is no reason to fear this ; but litter 

 formed of parts of the Oat-straw in which the wormlets harboured 

 would be very likely indeed to carry the disease to any crop liable to 

 infestation to which such litter was taken. 



The following observations regarding Clover perishing from some 

 cause unknown to the sender were forwarded to me, together with 

 specimens of the attacked plants, on February 18th, from The Walnut 

 Trees, Bluntisham, St. Ives, Hunts, by Mr. Tebbutt : — 



" I forward with this specimens of Clover plants which are suffering 

 from some cause unknown to the farmers in this locality. I have two 

 fields of about thirty acres, on which I think two-thirds of the young 

 Clover plants are destroyed. These young plants are in envelope 

 No. 1. In No. 2 are two or three specimens, also affected, of Clover 

 two or three years old. Some plants are apparently still fading away. 

 In some I think (doubtfully) there are signs of a fresh shoot, but 

 generally the plants affected seem to be quite destroyed. 



" All the fields of yearling Clover (sown in the spring of 1897) are, 

 so far as I can learn, seriously affected. 



"At first many persons thought the cause was 'Clover-sickness,' 

 but fields that have not been Clover for a long period are affected. 



" I have seen some small worms on the decayed plants, but I do 

 not at all know whether they were the cause or the effect of the 

 decayed plants. 



" The decayed plants in envelope No. 2 are from fields of two or 

 three years old Clover, but in these fields the decayed plants are rare." 



In No. 1 packet there were but few characteristically deformed 

 shoots, and no Eelworms, so far as I could ascertain, were present ; 

 but on the large old plant in No. 2 packet I found distorted enlarged 

 buds and short shoots, in which live Eelworms were present. 



The presence of Eelworm Clover-sickness on fields which have not 

 been in Clover for years may easily be caused by other crops liable to 



