48 



EELWOEMS. 



Eelworm attack of various kinds has long been present here, as 

 shown by the various forms of distorted growth, of which the cause 

 is now known, and on the Continent the kinds which are ordinarily 

 most hurtful to crop growth have been thoroughly studied to our great 

 benefit ; but in this country, I believe that it is only during the last 

 eight or ten years that anything has been worked out of reliable and 

 practicable use regarding the infestations of the Nematode, or Thread- 

 worms, commonly known as Eelworms, which seriously infest some 

 of our field and garden crops,— excepting in the case of the Wheat-ear 

 attack, variously known as " Ear-cockles," Purples, or False Ergot, 

 scientifically as Vibrio tritici of Bauer, Tijlcnclms tritici of Bastian. 



Tylenchus tbitici. — Wormlets escaping from eggs ; section of Cockle-gall with 

 wormlets within, after Bauer's figures, much magnified. Spikelet of Wheat with 

 galls, magnified ; wormlet greatly magnified. Natural length of largest about one- 

 quarter inch. 



In this case, as the injury is in full sight in the ears, consequently 

 on the diseased growth showing as if small purple or dark-coloured 

 peppercorns had taken the place of the wanting Wheat-grains, there is 

 no fear of its presence being overlooked. Also, as the Eelworms are 

 of such a size that they can be distinguished without very powerful 

 magnifiers, and are massed together in such quantity in the purplish 

 galls, or distorted growth, that on cutting one of these through in a 

 drop of water on a microscope slide they may be seen flowing over 

 in vast numbers, this attack has been a favourite one for popular 

 investigation. 



As has been often reported, and the plan most advised for prevention 

 is using the common sulphate of copper steep to seed corn which may 

 have the " Cockle " galls mixed up with it ; the method of application 

 being to let the liquid rise above the surface of the corn, and the corn 

 to be stirred gently, so that the " Cockles " may float to the top, and 

 be skimmed off and destroyed. In this double way the infested seed 

 may be expected to be very fairly purified. The above figure is merely 

 given just for comparison of the diseased corn grain growth with those 

 caused to stem and root growth by Eelworm presence. 



