xxiv PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



with lime and soot. I feel that the simple removal of the soil may leave 

 in isolated spots some source of infection, which may lead in a short 

 time to the whole labour expended being wasted, and I shall be glad of 

 any advice as to the most satisfactory and effective way of avoiding this. 

 It is not convenient to either change the crop grown or to allow a long 

 period of idleness.' 7 Mr. Odell reported : — " To prevent recurrence of this 

 pest drastic measures must be taken to destroy the eggs of the eelworm 

 (TyUnchus) ; merely dressing the bed with lime and soot will not be effec- 

 tive. (1) The whole of the brickwork inside the house should be scrubbed 

 with a hard brush and strong soda water, afterwards limewashing the 

 s a me. (2) All barrows, baskets, and other tools used to take out the old 

 soil should be treated as infectious and thoroughly cleansed. (3) The 

 soil used for refilling the beds should be as fresh as possible ; soil standing 

 or stacked near the houses should not be used. (4) Avoid stable cr 

 farmyard manure for a time if possible ; use artificial manure instead. 

 It should be remembered that organic manures are frequently a source of 

 infection, as the nematodes can pass uninjured through the intestines of 

 an animal fed on infected fodder. The leaflet of the Board of Agriculture 

 on the knot-disease caused by eelworms advises that the interior of the 

 house should be washed with carbolic acid one part and water eight parts. 

 This, I should think, would be more effective than the strong soda solu- 

 tion recommended." 



Apple Stem decayed. — Mr. S. Sharp, Westbury, Wilts, sent a shoot 

 decayed and apparently attacked by Nectria ditissima, a fungus which 

 attacks wounded places, and, as Dr. Cooke observed, having once penetrated 

 the wood there is no cure, as it spreads through the wood. 



Grubs in Soil. — Specimens were sent by Miss Edlmann, Chislehurst, 

 upon which Mr. Saunders reported : — " The grubs (so called) proved to be 

 of two kinds : those which were most numerous had unfortunately become 

 chrysalides, so that it is impossible to name them with any certainty. I 

 believe that they belong to the family Bibionidce, the same family to 

 which the very common flies called St. Mark's flies belong — they are so 

 named because they are often found flying about in large numbers on or 

 about St. Mark's Day (April 25). They are perfectly harmless as flies, 

 but as grubs they feed on the roots of plants, and are the cause of much 

 injury. There were also two specimens of the 'galley- worm,' Polydesmus 

 comjplanatus (one of the myriapods nearly allied to the Julidce), which 

 are most destructive creatures. Insecticides have little or no effect on 

 them, but they may be trapped by burying small slices of Turnip, 

 Mangold, or Carrot just below the surface of the soil near the plants they 

 arc attacking. A small wooden skewer should be stuck into each, so as 

 to Bhow where they are buried: these traps should be examined every 

 m( rning. 



Saxifraga Bv/rsericma diseased. — The Rev. C. Wolley Dod wrote : — 

 " I send some badly diseased plants of Saxifraga Burscriana Boydii. 

 This disease had nearly extinguished my stock of this variety, and I have 

 not found any effectual remedy. It has been progressing for three or 

 four years. Some other varieties of S. Burscriana are attacked by it, 

 but less generally." 



Bulbs with dying Boots.— Dr. Voelcker inquired on behalf of a lady 



