I905-] 



FlNGER-AND-TOE IN TURNIPS. 



IOl 



The Argentine Government have issued a Decree prohibiting 

 the importation into that country of lucerne and other forage 

 plant seed which, after being analysed by 

 Importation _ of the Department of Agriculture, is found to 



permission to import these seeds must be accompanied by a 

 certificate from a competent scientific authority of the country 

 of origin, legalized by the proper Argentine Consulate, certi- 

 fying that the seed is free from, or does not contain more than 

 the margin allowed of, dodder ; but, notwithstanding this certi- 

 ficate, all seeds found on sampling to exceed the percentage 

 named will be rejected. 



A description of the disease known as Finger-and-Toe in turnips 

 appeared in this Journal in September, 1902, and has since been 



castle-on-Tyne, during the past few years, tend to confirm the 

 suggestions made therein, but it may be useful to reproduce here 

 the conclusions arrived at as to the application of lime for the 

 purpose of checking this disease : — It is considered that 2\ tons 

 an acre of common lime, slaked to a fine powder and applied 

 so that it is thoroughly mixed with the soil, is usually productive 

 of good results. It is advantageous to apply it as soon after 

 the removal of a diseased turnip crop as possible, but the soil 

 must be fairly dry when this is done, and it must be thoroughly 

 mixed with the surface soil. If it is applied to a wet soil, or is 

 deeply buried, or is in a pasty condition, so that it will remain 

 in even small lumps in the soil, and not be distributed thoroughly, 

 it will have little or no effect. Lime may also be applied with 

 about equal advantage to the hay stubble, and with good effects 

 to the oat stubble, or even a few months before the turnips are 

 sown, provided it can be thoroughly distributed throughout the 

 surface soil. Heavier dressings of lime, up to 10 tons, are likely 

 to be more effective, but not in proportion to their cost. So far 

 as the results of the experiments go, lighter dressings either of 



Grass Seeds into 

 Argentina. 



contain more than fifty grains of dodder 

 to the kilogramme (2*2 lb.). Requests for 



O 



