230 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



This nematode disease of cucumbers is known in England, 

 and is said to have been successfully treated by watering 

 the soil in which the diseased plants were growing, with a 

 weak solution of permanganate of potash, which appears to 

 be fatal to the worms, without injuring the plants. It is 

 suggested that the sulphate of manganese would probably be 

 as efficient as the permanganate of potash, while it is much 

 cheaper. The writer will be glad to communicate with any- 

 one who is troubled by this disease, and wishes to experi- 

 ment in combating it. 



2. COMMLTXICATION BY C. A. GoESSMANN. 



The investigations concerning the effect of various modes 

 of cultivation and of manurino; on the o;eneral character and 

 composition of fruits and garden crops will be resumed, as 

 far as practicable, during the coming year. The circum- 

 stances which some years ago obliged me to discontinue 

 that work as outlined in our first and second annual reports, 

 under the heading " Chemistry in Fruit Culture," are not 

 existing now. The late permanent assignment of suitable 

 fields, as well as the recent erection of buildings designed 

 with a view to offer to growing plants the necessary pro- 

 tection against objectionable features of climate and weather, 

 promise to favor our plans of operation. The co-operation 

 of our experiments in the field and in the vegetation house 

 cannot fail to assist materially in drawing correct conclusions 

 from our results. 



