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V. — On Finrjcr and Toe in Root Crops. By Jamks Euckman 
F.Cr.S., F.L.S., Professor of Geology and Botany, Roya 
Agricultural CoUegej Cirencester. 
The so-calleil disease of Finger and Toe in root crops is a 
subject wliicli has for a long tims occupied the attention of those 
connected with agriculture, but apparently without at all settling 
the questions as to its nature and origin, as we find that up to 
the present time one section of practical men hold the opinion 
that the malformation of the root, which has given rise to the 
designation, is caused by uneven manuring ; anotlier, that it is 
due to the presence of stones, or a want of due pulverization of 
tlie soil ; whilst a tliird attributes the whole matter to attacks of 
insects. 
Now this discrepancy of opuilon results from a variety of 
causes, the most prominent of whicii is a want of agreement as 
to the nature of the matter under investigation, inasmuch as "vve 
find that it is not restricted to a designation of that peculiar 
branching or growing of the roots in a digitate form, from which 
the term finger-and-toe is derived ; but the excrescences caused 
by the bulging out of the root around the larva? of insects, 
cracking and splitting of the root, and blotting or rotting of its 
parts, are all somehow or another included in the category of 
finger-and-toe ; and though it is possible that most of these 
may be found to operate under some of the circumstances by 
Avhich the peculiarity of growth it is my present object to 
describe is produced, yet the following remarks are meant to 
apply only to an explanation of the facts connected with the 
branching or forked method of growth of some roots, as parsnips, 
carrots, and turnips (see accompanying drawings 1 and 2), as 
distinguished from the smooth outline and unbranclied condition 
which mai'k well-developed root crops. 
As my conclusions upon this sulyect have been arrived at in 
experimenting upon the growth of cultivated roots from wild 
kinds, I shall, in illustrating the subject, describe — 
1st. Some experiments on the growth of Wild Roots, and the 
conclusions I have been led to in consequence of my observa- 
tions upon these. 
2nd. I shall attempt to show that the historj/ of Root Crops 
confirms the view of " Finger and Toe,^' to which such 
experiments have led. 
1st. Experiments ivith Wild Roots, Sfc. — In the spring of 1848 
I planted two of my experimental plots with seeds of the 
Fastinaca sativa (parsnip) and Daucus carota (carrot), both of 
which grow spontaneously in the garden precincts ; the seeds 
