STEM EEL WORM. 
47 
acres (as mentioned below) down to little spots a yard or so across 
scattered over one field. 
The Tulip-rooted Oats sent were reported by Mr. Hellaby as being 
from a thirty-acre field on strong marl land, which was badly affected 
by the disease in patches, almost to not getting the seed again. In 
some parts of the field the crop was good, in others patches of two or 
three acres apiece were affected. The field had been sown with Oats 
and Clover after Turnips and Cabbage. 
Mr. John Elder, of the Holmes, Linlithgow, whose yearly obser¬ 
vations have greatly helped us to a knowledge of serviceable observations 
both for prevention and remedy of this attack, wrote me in a report on 
insect pests of the past season, sent in October:—“The Eelworm 
(Tulip-root) showed a little in some fields, but did not do any serious 
damage. In my own case I never had as heavy Oat crops, and the 
only portion that showed signs of Tulip-root was a small bit left 
unmanured. My manure was 1J cwt. sulphate potash (55 per 
cent.), 2 cwt. phosphates mixed, and 1^ cwt. sulphate ammonia, per 
acre.” 
This mixture is the same in constituents, though with some slight 
differences in proportion as that previously found by Mr. Elder to 
answer extremely well in 1888 in keeping Tulip-root in check, and 
giving a luxuriant growth.* 
Various experiments, with various results as to success or failure, 
were reported, but from the mixed nature of applications named 
(including, in some cases, what we know would certainly be useful, 
as well as what was very uncertain), to report these experiments would 
scarcely be of service. 
Mr. J. Harper, of Auchnabo, above quoted, mentioned that he 
ploughed deeply (a most desirable preparation on infested land, Ed.), 
and also gave 1 cwt. nitrate of soda and 1 cwt. sulphate of potash; and 
the Oat crop at date of writing was fairly recovering and doing well 
towards a good return. In this case the sulphate of potash would, 
from the results of many experiences, do well; but, so far as I can 
myself judge, I should say previous experiments in this country did 
not point to nitrate of soda being a trustworthy remedy for Eelworm 
attack. 
Notes on treatment of this attack, both by ordinary agricultural 
measures and by special applications, are given in my Reports from 
1886 up to date ; but as the yearly observations now show a constant 
increase in the number of kinds of plants liable to the infestation 
(notably Field Beans in this country, and Potatoes on the Continent 
of Europe), I repeat once again, from my 13th Report, the magnified 
* See ‘ Manual of Injurious Insects,’ by Ed., p. 103, 
