Reports to the Board of A gricnlture. 141 



Spots on Black Currant Buds, etc. 



Black currant cuttiiiys have frequently been sent to the Board 

 and to the Museum and myself, with notes asking if the normal 

 glands in the Ijuds were eggs or galls of the mite of the Black 

 Currant. These yellow bodies are normal plant glands. The 

 following communications have been sent to the Board : — 



/. — Supposed Apliis Eyjs o)i Black Currant tivi'js. 



The piece of currant twig sent by your correspondent, of the 

 Ketreat, York, has no insect eggs upon it. 



The yellow spots to wliich he refers are normal plant glands. 

 Tliey occur on all black currants, but on some varieties more so than 

 on others. 



The eggs of the currant Aphides are longer and spindle-shaped, 

 with a hard dark shell. 



//. — Spots on Black Currant Leaves. 



The leaves of the black currant sent by a correspondent from 

 Sundridge, Kent, and several others did not show any traces of the 

 Black Currant Mite ( Eriophyes ribis). They are certainly not galls 

 of the Big-bud Mite. 



The spots on the leaves referred to are glands on the leaf, of 

 normal appearance. The only gall formed by this pest is the 

 swollen bud. 



fIT. — Notification to the Board of Agrioilture. 



As currant leaves are frequently being sent with en([uiries as to 

 M'hether the yellow spots on them are eggs of Aphis, or galls or eggs 

 of Phytoptiden, it might be well to call attention to these structures in 

 the " Journal." 



These glands, which secrete a volatile pungent oily nuiterial, are 

 well-known normal plant glands.* 



Red Spiders. 



The following notes have been sent regarding Hod Spiders : — 

 The species of Ifed Spiders found on hops has not been 



* A uote was prepared by the Buanl ;iuil i.sHucd iu the .Juunuil in accoidauce 

 with this information {vide vol. x., no. 1, p. 85, June, 1903). 



