TULIP-ROOT. 
73 
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Two practicable measures of prevention of recurrence of the attack on 
infested land are avoiding crops that can be affected in the rotation, 
and to give deep ploughing ; the Eelworms often leave the Oat-plants as 
the plants die, or dry from maturing, and lie in the upper surface of 
the soil ; and if they are well turned down, especially if circumstances 
allow of a dressing of gas-lime in caustic state being put on, much of 
the infestation will be got rid of.* 
Special applications which have been found to do good, as manure 
in preparation of the land, or as dressings to bring an infested crop 
over attack, are sulphate of potash alone, or as a mixture with sulphate 
of ammonia and phosphates. 
In the following observations notes are given of these applications 
having again been found serviceable in the past season, and also a few 
notes of presence of the infestation in various localities sometimes to 
a troublesome extent. 
On March 29th I was favoured, by Mr. Richard Brown, of Hill- 
house, Kirknewton, Midlothian, N.B., with the following note of the 
previous season’s observations regarding use of sulphate of potash :— 
“ I regret that I neglected to inform you last year that the field of 
Oats which, in the beginning of June, showed every sign of being 
badly affected with ‘ Tulip-root,’ and from which the specimens sent 
you were taken, received shortly thereafter a top-dressing of about 
1 cwt. per acre of sulphate of potash, with the result that the disease 
entirely disappeared, and at harvest an excellent and thickly-planted 
crop was cut. It is right to state, however, that the season seemed to 
have been unfavourable for the spread of ‘ Tulip-root,’ as comparatively 
little was seen in the district.” 
The following observations, sent me on June 15th by Mr. John 
Elder, of The Holmes, Uphall, Linlithgow, N.B., are in continuation 
of observations of careful experiments made by him in the preceding 
year, of which he kindly gave me full details, and of which I published 
the main points in my Eleventh (1887) Report. 
The following note shows the benefit of the dressing given, 
excepting on a badly-drained part of the field, and on a sandy knoll, 
and on this sandy knoll the portion to which stimulating manure was 
applied before ploughing was promising well:— 
“ The following is my experience regarding ‘ Tulip-rooted’ Oats as 
far as this season has gone yet. They are sown on the fields from 
which my specimens of sick Clover-plants were taken last year. The 
manure applied consisted of phosphates, ammonia, and potash when 
sown, 8 cwt. per acre. The whole has a very luxuriant growth, with 
the exception of the sandy knoll, from which last year’s No. 1 specimen 
* For method of safe use of gas-lime, see pp. 30, 31, and Dr. Aug. Voelcker’s 
leaflet on gas-lime there referred to. 
