352 PICKLING WHEAT. 

torily checked by applying lime even earlier than is usually the 
case. These experiments have ciearly indicated that the 
best results are got by applying lime to the land 
before it is ploughed in the autumn of the season in which 
the diseased crop has been grown, for when put on in this way 
it not only comes into immediate contact with the disease, but 
it has the whole period of the rotation in which to operate on 
the disease. 
The main points to be observed in combating Finger and 
Toe are summarised in the circular as follows :— 
I. Exercise great care in disposing of diseased roots, which should, if possible, 
be consumed either where they grow, or on a field of permanent pasture. ~ 
2. Avoid working the land when out of condition. Neglect of this pee 
predisposes the crop to attack. 
3. If possible arrange the rotation of cropping so that turnips and similar crops 
do not come on the same land oftener than once in eight years. 
4. Where a field is markedly diseased, apply about three tons of slaked lime 
per acre as soon as the turnip crop has been removed. In very bad cases use 
more, and in mild cases of attack use less. If only certain spotsina field are 
affected, these should be dressed with six to eight tons of lime per acre, so 
that the disease shall with certainty be banished before it contaminates a 
larger area. Gas lime or chalk, or even magnesian lime, up to two or three 
tons per acre, may be used instead of common lime. 
5. Even where no disease is visible it is a good plan in the case of all soils not 
rich in lime to apply twenty-five to thirty cwt. per acre of slaked lime after 
each turnip crop. This moderate outlay will be recovered in the general 
improvement of the crops, and it will at the same time act as a safeguard 
against disease establishing itself. 
6. Finger and Toe attacks cruciferous weeds, such as charlock and shepherd’s 
purse, and through their agency land is often kept infected much longer than 
would otherwise be the case. It is therefore desirable that the disease 
should not have this opportunity of propagating itself. 

PICKLING OR STEEPING WHEAT FOR BUNT. 
The Board of Agriculture have received from the Cheshire 
County Council a copy of a report on certain grain experi- 
ments carried out at the Agricultural and Horticultural 
School, Holmes Chapel, in 1900. Among these experiments 
there was one of some interest in pickling or steeping wheat 
affected with bunt. A sample of wheat was procured which 
contained a large percentage of grains laffected with bunt 
(Tzlletca carves), and it was decided to carry out an experi- 
ment to see if steeping the seed with copper sulphate would 
