CLUB-ROOT, FINGER- AND-TOE 213 



CLUB-ROOT, FINGER- AND-TOE (Plasmodiophora 

 brass ic<e\ 



The excrescences and malformations of Cabbage 

 and Turnip root-stems are well known to all culti- 

 vators as " anbury," " club-root/' and " finger-and- 

 toe ". It is not only that the roots are malformed 

 but their growth is hindered ; and as the plants are 

 usually attacked in their early stages, the crop is fre- 

 quently almost entirely ruined. The root is the part 

 most frequently attacked, but the pest also disturbs 

 the leaves, at least in the case of Cabbages, yet no 

 distortion occurs, as in the root. Cabbage plants 

 attacked by this slime-fungus are prevented from pro- 

 perly developing leaves and forming hearts. Affected 

 Broccoli and Cauliflowers produce small misshapen 

 heads, and sometimes only stunted leaves. In the case 

 of Turnips the roots are swollen and the bulb warted, 

 eventually rotting and emitting a disagreeable smell. 

 All Brassicse are liable to be infested by Plasmodio- 

 phora brassicas, and it occurs on Charlock and other 

 weeds belonging to the Order Cruciferae. It belongs 

 to the group of fungus-like organisms known as 

 Myxomycetes or Slime-Fungi, and the name Plas- 

 modiophora means the bearer of plasmodia, which 

 are masses of protoplasm with creeping, life-like 

 movement. 



The disease is first contracted by spores present in 

 the soil, from which independent minute portions of 

 protoplasm escape under favourable conditions of 



