CLUB-ROOT DISEASE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIV, Issue 39, 21 January 1916, Page 3

CLUB-ROOT DISEASE.

PREVENTION AND CURE. Many people are concerned about the prevalence of the disease commonly known as Club-Hoot, but otherwise as anbury, finger and toe, and canker, which attacks almost any plant belonging to the natural order Cruciferae, such as turnips, cabbages, rape, swedes, radishes, cauliflowers, etc. Infected young plan's show thickenings and knob-like swellings on the roots, and as the -plants become older the swellings increase enormously, and become very large; the clubbed roots then turn brown and decay, the death of the plant ultimately ingThe increase in this district is duo to the neglect of proper methods of prevention and the lack of knowledge concerning its extremely infectious nature.

The cause of the disease is a slime fungus so small as to be perceptible only under high magnification. The spores of this minute organism can remain in the soil tor several years in a dormant condition, but when a suitable crop is sown in the ground they germinate, and, entering the young delicate roots, soon lead to the whole crop ; becoming effected. As- ’to preventive measures to be used, ,a bulletin dealing with the subject and issued by the Agricultural Department as far back as 1900 strongly impresses upon the farmer or horticulturist the necessity of burning all diseased material from infected crops, as if this is not done diseased roots are sure to find their way on to hitherto clean groynd and thus set up new sources of infection. On no account should any be put on the manure heap or fed to pigs. The careful rotation of crops is urged, as grain of all kinds, and mangolds, carrots, potatoes, etc., can be grown on infected land without danger. The ground should be kept clear of wild turnip, wild radish, etc., as it is on such plants that the disease lives when the ground is not in turnips or cabbages. j Plants which are to be transplanted should, never be raised bn ground that has previously carried a diseased crop. Experiments have proved , that the. plants become infected when about -three weeks old, and that if oldex plants are transplanted they do not ’contract the disease so readily as younger ones. l' Club-root rarely, if ever, is to be found on lands rich in lime ; and, on the contrary, clay and sandy soils are especially badly attacked. The application of a heavy dressing of lime, 4 to 7 tons per acre, is .the most effectual preventive yet known. It ’should be worked into the ground some * considerable time before it is to be I cropped. When the disease appears in small patches, such areas should be | careffully isolated and extra huge quantities of lime placed on them. If j this is done promptly the disease can I be wiped out before any great damage 'can be done. Gas-lime has little or no 'effect on club-root; and acid manures, Lsuch as superphosphate of lime, en--1 courage it. This fact should be borne in mind when selecting manures for lands which show a tendency to exhibit this disease.