79 
The use of certain acid artificial manures and, indeed, 
also of ordinary stable manure in excess, tends to make the 
soil acid, and this favours the growth of the Fingers-and- 
Toes fungus. In infected soil, therefore, Basic Slag, or 
other alkaline artificials, might be advantageously used 
in addition to treatment with lime. ; 
Needless to say, even after such treatment as outlined 
above, ground known to be infected should not be planted 
with cruciferous crops for at least three years. Other 
vegetables, including potatoes, can of course be grown 
without any danger, since they are not attacked by the 
fungus. The soil of beds in which seedling cabbages 
are raised should be partially sterilised as for the “ Damp- 
ing-off ” Disease, and also should contain a fair sprinkling 
of lime. 
By strict care in disposing of rubbish, by improving 
the drainage of the soil, and by regularly dressing the 
ground with quicklime, it should be possible to do some- 
thing towards eradicating this pest. A recent visit to some 
allotments within the Manchester area afforded evidence 
of this possibility. Some of the plots had not grown a 
healthy cabbage for two or three years, while adjoining 
plots never show a sign of the disease. The infected 
plots were badly drained, the soil was sour, liming had 
been tried, but in too small quantities. On the other hand 
the adjoining plots had been thoroughly and ,egularly 
limed, were well drained, not soured by over manuring, 
and they had therefore always borne healthy crops. It is 
needless to add that on the infected plots diseased 
cabbages had been pulled up and the roots simply thrown 
aside to rot and preve a further source of infection. It 
might be well if allotment societies had some stringent 
rules for dealing with the spread of such diseases via the 
rubbish heap. 
Brief reference must now be made to some diseases 
of the potato tuber that present certain features in 
common with the Fingers-and-Toes disease. The 
Wart Disease, or Black Scab of Potatoes, is caused by 
Synchytrium endobioticum. It is notoriously prevalent in 
the districts round large towns, and the restrictions of the! 
Board of Agriculture have rendered its symptoms well 
known. In the early stages small warty swellings appear 
in the “eyes” or buds of the potato, or thev may even 
occur on the stem near the ground level. These warts 
