970 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No ^ 
tunnels and in the myriad other passages through the soil. Severely affected 
plants, when not killed outright in the early stages of growth, remain backward 
on account of their small and impoverished root systems, fail to tiller properly, 
and give at best an abnormally thin stand with consequently great reduction in 
yield. In certain of the older sections of the Louisiana Sugar Belt this year 
it is practically impossible to find a plant of the commonly grown varieties which 
does not show more or less of this root injury. However, in newly cleared land 
never before planted with cane, it is rare. Slight injury has also been observed 
on sorgo 4 and on maize, the latter being the only crop with interplanted cowpeas, 
commonly used in rotation with sugar cane. 
Severe root injury and the same species of snail were also found on cane grow¬ 
ing in the so-called “ saw grass ” or peaty soils of southern Florida. In the light 
sandy soils of the cane sirup sections of northern Florida and Georgia but slight 
injury was generally observed. 
While the relative importance of primary and secondary agents in bringing 
about the final complex condition known as “root disease” in Louisiana is yet 
to be determined, severe root injury by snails is apparently a major predisposing 
and contributing factor. 
* This is more generally known as sweet sorghum. 
