Anbury , Club-root, or Finger and Toe in Turnips. 52 1 
Soils not liable to “ finger and toe ” 
Soils liable 
VIII 
IX 
N 
X 
XI 
XII 
1 Organic matter and water \ 
of combination . J 
5-58 
7-22 
7-48 
10-50 
7-72 
Oxide of iron and alumina . 
2-77 
7-97 
5-66 
3-75 
3-94 
Carbonate of lime 
•87 
8-63 
■78 
•11 
•31 
Alkalies, &c. 
•79 
9-59 
•50 
■37 
211 
Insoluble silicates and sand 
89-99 
66-59 
85-58 
85-27 
85-92 
10000 
10000 
100-00 
100-00 
10000 
1 containing nitrogen . 
- 
T09 
•243 
•332 
•298 
If these analyses are compared, it will be seen that the only 
strongly marked points of difference, as between soils liable to 
disease and those not liable, are in the relative proportions of lime 
contained, and, to a lesser extent, in the potash. The latter may 
possibly have something to do with the question ; but this is not made 
clear by the analyses, the T4 per cent, of potash in No. I being 
practically the same as the T1 per cent, in Nos. V and YI. But 
the differences in the amounts of lime contained in the soils of 
either class are very striking, and clearly point to this feature of the 
presence or absence of sufficient lime being intimately associated 
with the freedom from, or liability to, disease. 
All the soils on which “ finger and toe ” never occurs are those 
which an agricultural chemist would describe as containing sufficient 
lime ; all those which are subject to disease are those recognised as 
being lime-deficient. As regards theactual percentageof lime required, 
it would appear that the presence of '75 per cent, of carbonate of 
lime is enough to constitute a soil “ disease-proof,” if indeed such a 
condition of soil can exist ; while less than one-half per cent, of 
carbonate of lime would seem insufficient to ward off the attacks of 
the fungus. 
In saying this I am aware that it has not yet been shown that 
the fungus cannot thrive in a soil which contains three-quarters of 
one per cent., or even more, of carbonate of lime ; but the analyses I 
have set out show that none of the soils which are reported to be un- 
affected by disease have less lime than the first-named percentage, and 
there is strong ground for concluding that in this lies the determin- 
ing factor. For this reason I am of opinion that further inquiry 
into this subject should take the form of ascertaining whether it is 
possible to infect with the fungus land that is rich in lime, or 
whether the presence in the soil of lime in sufficiency has a de- 
structive or retarding effect upon the vitality and spread of the 
fungus. 
J. Augustus Voelcker. 
12 Hanover Square, W. 
