4 
CLOVER-SICKNESS. 
t 
forming an imbricated, or “ tile-like,” exterior. These shoots were 
placed closely together, apparently from the growth of each shoot 
having been stopped. 
They varied in number; sometimes as many as five grew on an 
inch length of stem, one at the extremity and two at each side below, 
so as to form together a flat, fan-like mass. I did not find they grew 
round the central stem. They were not all similar in form of diseased 
growth, but were commonly irregularly, and oval- (or somewhat bulb-) 
shaped; but sometimes they were much prolonged, so as to resemble 
what is known as a “duck-necked” Onion in shape, and sometimes 
the lower part of the flowering stem was enlarged for an inch or two 
at the base. 
In some instances the short, brown, deformed shoots had a little 
bit of deformed shoot or of leaf-growth proceeding from it. One of the 
shoots, which was merely swollen, not altogether shortened by disease, 
on being opened, proved hollow near the base, with decayed matter 
within, and also palish brown powdery or rather damp granular matter, 
and on placing this under a one-inch object-glass it proved to be 
swarming with AnguillulidcB, or “Eelworms.” 
Under a quarter-inch object-glass I clearly distinguished in some 
of these the presence of a mouth-spear ivith a bulbous base. I also found 
AnguillulidcB in the short (then), brown, somewhat bulbous-like shoots 
in the perishing matter in the centre of the short, somewhat scale-like 
leaves. 
In order to be absolutely certain of the nature of these Eelworms, 
I forwarded specimens of the infested Clover-plants to the Netherlands 
for the skilled examination of Dr. J. G. de Man, of Middleburg, and 
of Dr. J. Ritzema Bos, Professor at the State Agricultural College, 
Wageningen; and from them I received the following definite state¬ 
ments of the Eelworms present being the Tylenchus devastatrix, and of 
these being the cause of the diseased condition. 
Dr. de Man reported:—“I have examined the Clover-plants that 
you have sent me, and most plants, if not all, were found to be 
infested by numerous Tylenchus devastatrix, so that the occurrence of 
this dangerous worm ought to be regarded as the cause of the disease.” 
—J. G. de Man. 
Dr. J. Ritzema Bos wrote me:—“In the ‘Clover-sick’ plants 
I have found the deformations you so correctly describe, and I found 
T. devastatrix in them.”—J. R. B. 
The above observations show the presence of the Clover “stem- 
sickness” caused by T. devastatrix to have continued so as to be 
recorded at intervals during the period named, and also (so far as one 
series of observations can show) points to the peculiar form of diseased 
growth—being much more developed in the growing season than (in 
