46 COEN. 
r> 
All measures found serviceable for prevention of this “ Stem ” or 
“ Stock ” disease turn on observed habits of the Eelworm. 
This kind is found by Dr. Kuhn to infest Eye, Oats, Clover, Buck¬ 
wheat, Fuller’s Teasel, and also the field-weed often met with in 
chalky fields, known as “ Corn Bluebottle.”* As far as is known it 
does 7iot infest Wheat, Barley, Peas, or Flax. The fact of infection 
being carried in worm-infested plants to some kinds of corn but not to 
others, was proved by the following experiment of Dr. Kuhn’s. He 
buried small pieces of infested Teasel-heads an inch and a half deep 
in the ground, and sowed over them different kinds of Wheat, also 
Barley and Eye; and of these crops the Eye was infested, but not the 
Wheat or the Barley. 
Eotation of crops is therefore very important, but as it has been 
proved that the Eelworms can live on in the land, even without their 
own special food-plants, the following treatment, which is advised by 
Dr. Kuhn for burying them so deeply down that they can do no more 
mischief, is well worth consideration :— 
“ The surest remedy for worm-sick fields consists in late ploughing, 
sixteen or eighteen inches deep. By this treatment the upper layer of 
earth with the contained Anguillulidce is buried deep, and is covered 
with a full spade’s depth of the under soil. The treatment must be 
carried out in autumn, and in the next spring cultivation rich manure 
given to the crop. It is most desirable that this should not be of 
stable manure, which it is very possible may contain Eelworms, but 
rather of guano and superphosphate. Carrots and Potatoes succeed 
best in the late-ploughed land. Should notwithstanding the worm- 
disease appear again at the same places in the fields, the spots should 
be dug anew deeply, two spades deep ; we can also prevent the spread 
of these wormlets by isolating, by means of a trench of a foot and a 
half deep and a foot across.”—J. K. 
With regard to different methods in which the wormlet infection 
may be spread, it is shown by Dr. Kuhn that one way is in earth from 
infested fields. This is shown by an instance in which a man, to mark 
his disbelief in the possibility of such transmission, had earth from 
Eelworm-infected land spread on what was clean before, and thus set 
up attack. It is also noted that the infection may be spread in earth 
carried from infested land (that is, by earth adhering to agricultural 
implements, to the hoofs of horses employed on the foul land, or to the 
shoes of the agricultural labourers). 
The danger of transmission in manure is most particularly noticed 
by Dr. Kuhn. He mentions:— “It is to be observed that the 
AnguillulcB can make their way in short haulm to the spindling ear. 
These worm-infested plants, which are cut with the scythe, later on 
* Centaurea cyanus. 
