Reports to the Board of Agriculture. 29 



different terms for the same treatment. Hop growers call the process 

 " washing," fruit growers both " washing " and " spraying." In all 

 insecticides it is well to put the wash on the foliage or fruit in as 

 fine a mist as possible, but with the Caustic Alkali wash this is not 

 essential. The wash may be syringed over the trees thickly, but it 

 is advisable to use a proper sprayer or washer such as the Strawson 

 " Anti-pest." After spraying with this wash the machine should be 

 well cleaned out with cold water. No care is necessary regarding 

 the buds as long as they have not commenced to burst. 



Three quarters of a pound of soft soap for the ten gallons of wash 

 may be used in place of the treacle previously advised. India rubber 

 gloves are sometimes worn by the sprayer, but are not necessary. It 

 is far better to fix a circular disc pointing downwards on the spraying 

 tube so that any wash that runs down will fall clear of the hands. 



Another Board correspondent was informed that ordinary treacle 

 may be substituted for coarse agricultural treacle in this wash. 



Certain gardening papers have raised an objection to the use of 

 treacle or soft soap in this wash, but it is certainly a beneficial 

 ingredient. 



Canker Fungus {Nectria ditissima) on Apple Twigs 

 mistaken for Insect Work. 



The effect of " canker " is often mistaken for insect work. Apple 

 twigs Avere sent to the Board of Agriculture from Bournemouth with 

 brown blister-like patches over them ; these were attacked Ijy the 

 canker fungus Nectria ditissima (fig. 3). The shoots had been 

 probably damaged by frost early in the season ; canker becomes more 

 prominent lower down the tree. Another correspondent from Eugby 

 also sent twigs with the typical canker of apple ; the small scarlet 

 fruit or perithecia of the fungus were present on most of the twigs 

 sent. There was a lot of this disease showing these blister-like 

 patches this year (1902). 



MAMMALIA. 

 Enquiry as to Poison for Moles. 



Several enquiries have been made regarding Moles. One cor- 

 respondent wrote asking the best way to poison these animals. 



This Department knows of no poison of any use in destroying 

 moles, but probably bisulphide of carbon would be as successful in 

 killing these animals as it is in destroying the Canadian Pouched Eat 



