58 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 
latter appear on the leaves and have not previously been recorded 
for this country. 
A quarter of a century ago there was very much written in the 
horticultural press regarding the mysterious disease known as " basal 
rot." It will be interesting to hear more of this disease from present- 
day cultivators, as it is not at all certain whether it is in any way con- 
nected with the one under consideration. In an article written in 1894 
by the Rev. Wolley-Dod on " basal rot " the word " eelworm " is 
mentioned, but as to whether it was of a parasitic nature or a free-living 
form no remark was made. I have yet to see a bulb affected with a 
basal rot other than that due to eelworm. 
A delicate method has been devised for testing soil for the presence 
of eelworm s. Ten grams of soil are ground up in a mortar with 
100 cc. of water and the muddy liquid poured into the cups of an 
electrical centrifuge. The centrifuge is then worked at a fairly high 
speed until the soil lies at the bottom of the cups. The opalescent 
liquid is then decanted and spun a second time at a higher speed ; 
the sediment now sinking to the bottom contains the eelworms, 
together with other living organisms of the soil. To apply this test 
to large areas -of ground, a large number of samples would, of course, 
need to be taken. 
It is a difficult matter to offer anything like a complete survey 
of the work in hand, inasmuch as it consists of a large number of inter- 
related experiments from which at present no results have emerged, 
though the sum of the experience gained indicates clearly enough that 
eelworms are responsible for much more damage than has hitherto 
been thought — if not the whole of it. 
With regard to the treatment of the disease, a phase of the in- 
vestigations which is occupying the major portion of my time — no 
definite statement can yet be made. A satisfactory method may in 
time be found, but it is feared the investigations will require a good 
deal of patience. 
The remedies, if such are found, will need to be tested on a large 
scale or proved to be what are generally termed " commercial pro- 
positions " before they can be generally applied. The difficulties are 
chiefly connected with the conditions under which Tylenchus can exist, 
and therefore concern the most suitable method of attack. 
Tylenchus can be dried for lengthened periods looking as if 
dead, yet still retaining the power of resuming vital functions on 
being moistened. As far back as 1744 this power possessed by eelworms 
was investigated. 
An experiment was performed last August by placing eelworms on 
slides in a desiccator for eight weeks. On examination they were found 
to be curled up like Catherine wheels, but on application of moisture 
a large percentage showed the eel-like movement when examined 
three hours later. Dr. Ritzema Bos has investigated this power of 
Tylenchus with the thoroughness which stamps most of his work. He 
has shown that unsegmented eggs of Tylenchus might be safely dried 
