156 AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATION BILL, 1924. V 



Mr. Anderson. Do you have anything further on this, Mr. 

 Buchanan ? 

 Mr. Buchanan. No. 



DRUG and other PLANTS. 



41 



Mr. Anderson. Well, we will take up the next item. 

 Doctor Taylor. The next item is on page 94: 



For the investigation, testing, and improvement of plants \-ieMing drugs, spices, 

 poisons, oils, and related products and by-products and for general physiological and 

 fermentation investigations. 



Mr. Anderson. There is no change in that item. 



CROP technological investigations. 



Doctor Taylor. No. The next item is on page 96: 



For crop technological investigations, including the study of plant-investing neina> 

 todes. 



NEMATODE DISEASE INVESTIGATIONS. 



The estimates include an increase of .$10,000 for nematode disease 

 investigation. The need for work here has broadened, as during 

 the last year it has become ev^ident that many of the root troubles of 

 peach and other fruit trees in portions of California, as well as with 

 clover in Idaho, as has previously been known with respect to sugar 

 beets in part of the irrigated territory, is attributable to nematodes, 

 which previously have been attributed to soil exhaustion and other 

 causes. 



These nematodes which cause the root rot of the fig and peach in 

 the Gulf territory, and in some places in cotton, have been proven to ^ 

 be destructive to many other crops. 



There is one other phase that has assumed importance which only 

 indirectly is related to plants, namely, the part tnat these organisms 

 play almost certainly in the control of certain insects which damage \ 

 crops, like the grassliopper. 



It has been found that certain nematodes are apparently the con- 

 trolling parasites, which hold the grasshopper increase in check, and 

 reduces in certain parts of the country at least the grasshopper } 

 damage to crops. 



Now, the question that emerges is whether it may not be possible, 

 through proper guidance and tlirection of these parasitic nematodes, 

 to accomplish a sufficent control of grasshoppers to reduce the epi- 

 demic phase of grasshopper injury to crops. Tliat is merely a sug- 

 gestion. At present, it nas not been put in effect. 



Mr. Anderson. I suppose I ought to know, but will you tell us || 

 what these nematodes are? Is it a general t<»rm that covers a great 

 variety of bugs ? 



Doctor Taylor. It covers that group of little, l)ut visible, organ- 

 isms, sometimes known as eel worms, of which the hookworm, 

 which causes the human hookworm disease, is one. There is a verv 

 large numher of species of them. They have not been very mucli 

 studied. 



Mr. Buchanan. Are they worms or bugs? 



i 



