104 SWEET PEAS 



is so or not I would not care positively to say, but I know that when 

 once a plant has been fastened on by these white worms there 

 is very little hope of its recovery. This pest is commonly found 

 in cow dung, hence its presence in old pasture land is readily 

 accounted for. Both these pests accomplish the death of the plant 

 in what may be called a mysterious way, i.e. there is nothing on 

 or near the plant to account for its collapse. I have seen plants 

 collapse at all stages from a few inches to 2 feet or more high. 



Remedies. The best thing to do when an attack of either 

 pest is noticed or suspected, is to grow the plants on as quickly 

 as possible. This is best done by feeding them, and there is 

 no better food for the purpose than nitrate of soda. In warm 

 weather this makes its presence felt in the soil in a few hours, and 

 the effect upon the plants is almost immediate. Half an ounce 

 should be stirred into a gallon of water, and this quantity given to 

 each clump or 6 feet run of row. Three such waterings on alternate 

 nights will have a wonderful effect upon the plants in fact, so good 

 is the result that I would advise all readers who want first rate 

 flowers to adopt this practice as a preventive until the plants are 

 nearing the flowering period. At that time nitrate is dangerous to 

 some varieties in some hands. I have also used the patent 

 destroyers, Vaporite, Slugene, Kilogrub, Alphol for both of these 

 pests and I think I can say with good results. Sulphate of iron is 

 also exceedingly valuable against eelworm, and for this reason 



FIG. 10. SWEET PEA PLANTS INFESTED BY STEM EELWORM 



(TylencJius devastatrix) 



F, infested plant : c, top growth stunted ; d, collar, or ground level, above 



which eelworms are seldom found in stem of Sweet Pea; <?, under- 

 ground or root stem, usually somewhat swollen, and in which eelworms 

 are found when plant is in a state of decay ; /, " shell " of seed ; g, 

 nodosities on roots caused by eelworm, cutting off supplies of nourish- 

 ment. 



G, plant collapsed from an attack of eelworm : h, top withered ; i, root 



stems and roots decayed, nodosities rotted away, and eggs and larvae 



passed into soil. 

 H, bit of decayed root stem : j, sound plant cells ; &, destroyed tissues ; 



Z, ova, or so-called eggs of eelworm ; m, young eelworm. 

 I, embryo of eelworm developed in egg or ova case. 

 J, stem eelworm in mature state (female). 



