(( 
TULIP-ROOT. 
43 
conjectiirally be caused by tbe fly being attracted to lay its eggs by the 
decayed matter in the infested plants. 
The following observation refers to the presence of Eelworyns in the 
young winter Oats. On Nov. 18th Mr. W. Farrant wrote from Stokes 
Farm, Wokingham, Berks, as follows :— 
“ I herewith enclose a few plants of winter Oats. I put them in 
after one year ley of artificial grasses, mown once, the after-math fed. 
I drilled three bushels per acre, and I should say quite one-third are 
turning yellow as the sample sent, and some are eaten off.It 
appears to me to be eaten off inside, about half an inch from the seed. 
.... I may say that I anticipated wireworm before sowing, and 
sowed 10 bushels soot, 3 cwt. salt, and 2 cwt. fish-bone per acre. 
Sown behind the drill and harrowed in with the seed, and rolled with 
a light roller.” 
On Nov. 16th Mr. Farrant furnished me with some more specimens, 
and I examined both the tops and the rootlets. There were no Eel- 
worms observable about the rootlets, but on breaking up the sprouted 
grain in water together with the husk surrounding it, I found Eel- 
worms of various sizes numerously present, and they were also to be 
found in numbers on breaking up the stem about half an inch above 
the seed. There was no growth advanced far enough to have gained 
the “ Tulip-root ” form, but a small knob of thickened growth was 
already observable at about the highest part of the diseased, or rather 
the infested, portion of the stem just above the grain. The Eelworms 
were in very active condition, and were in some instances apparently 
fully grown, but the larger number were from about one-sixth to half 
the size of the full-grown specimens. 
The above note from Mr. Farrant completes the series of observa¬ 
tions of presence of Eelworms in Oat-plants, or amongst the lower part 
of their leafage, from almost the first start of the plant from the seed 
up to maturity ; and if we could have some specimens of Oats just at 
sprouting-time itself for examination, it would be likely to throw a 
good deal of light on the first stage of possession by the Eelworms. 
If we found them present in the husks of the seeds it would appear 
that they had come there either from the infested ground or manure in 
it, or from the seed itself. We have no reason to believe they are in 
the substance of the seed, but (wherever they come from) it appears 
worth consideration whether, as suggested by Mr. A. Watson at p. 38, 
the use of a sulphate of copper steep, commonly known as blue-stone, 
or pickle might not be of great use. The poison or flavour of the 
pickle would be likely to remain quite long enough about the grain to 
be a powerful deterrent to attack. If on examination of the soft 
sprouting grains the eggs of the Eelworms, which are very easily 
known by their shape, should happen to be found, we then should 
