66 CURKANT. 



cured from Messrs. Blunclell, and gave the soil all under the 

 bushes a good coatmg of caustic lime. I also gave the bushes 

 another dressing of the Paris-green. Just when the buds 

 appeared this spring, I had a boy gathering all the little 

 knobs of the trees. The result has proved as satisfactory as 

 I could expect, considering the condition of the trees last 

 year, and I have every prospect of securing a good half 

 crop." 



Some points, however, in the history of the mites which 

 have been brought forward during 1897 suggest the time of 

 year when (//" jjossihle) remedial sprayings should be applied. 

 It is noted by Dr. A. Nalepa, see p. 64 : — " In the latter part 

 of summer and in autumn the mites leave the galls in multi- 

 tudes to take possession of their winter quarters— that is, the 

 buds. This emigration also is of frequent occurrence during 

 summer when the previously inhabited buds dry up-." This 

 season, then, when the mites are straying on the bushes and 

 as a preliminary to further mischief locating themselves 

 between the leaf-stalk and the buds, as noticed by Mr. New- 

 stead (see p. 63), is the time when the mites are open to attack, 

 but there is the difficulty to meet of the fruit being on the 

 bushes. 



Also the last year's observations have confirmed the sup- 

 position that "mixed cropping" — that is, alternating lines 

 (or strips of a few lines) of Black Currants with other crops — 

 would lessen amount of mite presence. In reply to some 

 observations of my own on this head, with which I was 

 favoured in the course of last year by Mr. Malcolm Dunn, 

 from the Gardens, Dalkeith, N.B., he remarked as follows : — 

 "I have reason to believe that the usual method of close roics, 

 in large breaks or quarters of Black Currants, has a good deal 

 to do with the bad attack of mites so often seen on massed 

 bushes ; while single rows, with free space of some feet or 

 yards between them are less infested in the same district. 

 The close rows naturally afford better shelter and more 

 breeding ground than detached rows, and hence the partial 

 immunity of the latter. . . . There is little doubt the 

 workers rubbing on the infested bushes with their clothes, 

 when the mites are lively, carry them to clean bushes, and 

 spread the infestation." — (M. D.) 



The following note, sent me on Jan. 20th of the present year, 

 by Mr. Lewis Castle, Manager of the Woburn Experimental 

 Fruit Farm, from Eidgmont, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire, 

 gives some very serviceable observation on the above point : — 



" Upon reflection, I think your suggestion with regard to 

 planting Black Currants in lines between other crops is 

 important, and likely to prove beneficial where the plantation 



