FlNGER-AND-TOE IN TURNIPS. 



147 



established. Or the crop may be folded on the land with sheep, 

 and the animals crossing and recrossing the diseased patch will 

 soon bring about infection on a wider area. Under other 

 circumstances the crop may be lifted and carted to the 

 homestead, and some of the diseased turnips may get amongst 

 the dung which in the succeeding season may be used to 

 manure a turnip crop on another field, and so the disease may 

 appear where it was never seen before. Or diseased roots may 

 be spread on a grass field to be consumed by stock, and a year 

 or two later this field may be under turnips, when serious 

 infection may be revealed. The refuse of the root- house is a 

 fruitful source of infection on a small scale, and such material 

 should never be put either amongst the dung or on a tillage 

 field. 



Prevention and Cure. 

 Although this disease is widespread and destructive, much 

 may be done to limit its ravages. It is practically unknown on 

 soils naturally containing a high percentage of lime. The 

 artificial application of burned lime has long been practised as a 

 preventive, and this substance is still the most effective agent 

 that is known. The usual custom is to apply 5 to 7 tons per 

 acre, the dressing being given in the autumn, either six months 

 or eighteen months before a turnip crop is to be grown. On 

 the whole, the better of these two systems would appear to be 

 that of applying the lime eighteen months ahead of the turnip 

 crop. Under either the four or five course shift, this will mean 

 spreading the lime on the ley before it is broken up for a corn 

 crop. 



Another system is to put on a small dressing, say 1 to 2 tons, 

 directly after a turnip crop is removed. To spread such a small 

 quantity evenly over the land, it is necessary first to slake it, 

 and afterwards to fill it into carts, spreading by means of 

 shovels directly from the carts. If a considerable amount of 

 disease is present, the dose of lime may be increased somewhat, 

 whereas if the field is sound, or nearly sound, the dressing need 

 not exceed 1 to i| tons. In this case the treatment is to be 

 regarded purely as a preventive measure. 



Although the effects of lime applied directly a turnip crop 

 is removed will not be observable, so far as the prevention of 



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