474 Insect Pests. 



a mass, and this mass thickens like a piece of cauliflower ; numerous 

 buds appear in the axils of the lower leaves, but never grow out into 

 stolons. All sorts of queer sliapes are produced by different 

 abnormal growths. Some stems split at the top of the fasciation 

 into a number of different branches, with a few abnormal flowers 

 and leaves. The sheathing leaves are irregular, small and twisted, 

 and the flower-buds grow out into thick deformed masses. 



The appearance is shown to some extent in the photograph 

 reproduced here (Fig. 309). 



How the disease comes we at present do not know. Probably 

 the worm feeds on other plants and is carried casually to the straw- 

 Ijerries. Carpenter (1) suggests that is was imported into Ireland 

 with runners from plants already affected, and mentions that Eoyal 

 Sovereigns were worse than any others. 



Eemedy. 



ISTone is so far known. Carpenter records that sulphate of potash 

 had no effect in Ireland. It would scarcely do so in one year, as 

 the worms appear to live very largely in the plants, but it is worth 

 while to experiment with it further, as the effect on eelworms is very 

 good as a rule. 



Eefeeences. 



(1) Carpentev, G. H. Injiuious Insects and Other Animals observed in Ireland 



during the year 1905, p. 338. Eco. Proc. Eoy. Dublin Soc, I., pt. 8 

 July (1906). 



(2) Ormcrod, E. A. ' Handbook of Orchard and Bush Fruit Pests,' p. 251 



(1898). 



(3) Eitzema Bos. Overgedruckt nit het maanblad voor Natuurwe-fen- 



schappen, No. 7, Jan. (1889). 



The Root Eelworm. 



{Ti/lenchus derastatrix. Kuhn.) 



During the last few years there has been a great mortality 

 amongst strawberries. The plants rot and decay away just below 

 ground and at ground level. In all cases examined the plants have 

 been badly infested with eelworms, these I have been unable to 

 separate from the common Tylenclms devasiatrix. This disease has 

 been reported to me from Worcestershire, Kent, Nottinghamshire, 

 Surrey and Hampshire. There are no marked symptoms such as 

 seen in the former, the plants merely rot away, roots and crowns 



