CUERANT GALL BUTE. 305 



" I use a dressing of two parts sulphur and three parts 

 lime boiled together in water (2 lbs. sulphur and 3 lbs. lime, 

 3 galls, water), which is further diluted at the rate of two or 

 three pints to a large pail of water, applied with a syringe to 

 the infested bushes; the effect is to keep the 'spider' down, 

 and that little or no damage is done. It seems difficult to 

 clear the garden altogether." 



Another recipe, to save the trouble of boiling the lime, is as 

 follows : — Take of sulphuret of lime 4 ozs. and of soft-soap 

 2 ozs., to each gallon of hot water. The soap and sulphuret 

 to be well mixed before the addition of the water, which is to 

 be gradually poured on, stirring being continued during the 

 process. This mixture may be used as a syringing, but, if 

 poured in thick condition on the stems about a foot or two 

 from the ground and let run down into the centre of the 

 bushes, it would choke myriads of the minute creatures. 

 Good waterings, and all treatment calculated to promote 

 hearty growth, would be likely to be of service. 



Where attack is established, probably the best treatment is 

 to clear the bushes and burn them (as well as any rubbish 

 lying on the surface of the ground) ivlio-e they stood, or to put 

 a couple of shovelsful of fresh gas-lime where each bush 

 stood, so as to kill the mites that may remain. They cannot 

 fly, but are easily dispersed on leaves blown by the wind, or 

 by crawling. 



Change of crop to something that the Gall Mites will not 

 attack is obviously desirable where there has been infestation, 

 and for all practical purposes, as far as I am aware, all other 

 plants may be considered free from this attack. There is, 

 however, just a doubt whether the Ked Currant can be 

 infested. In 1888 I was favoured by a specimen of a shoot 

 of Ked Currant (infested with bud galls like those of our 

 Black Currant) sent me by Dr. Friedrich Thomas, of Ohr- 

 druf, Gotha, a most eminent authority on Phyto-pathology, 

 with the information that he had observed them for many 

 years in his own garden, but up to that time no notice of the 

 attack had been practically taken in Germany. He likewise 

 mentioned that the identity of the Gall Mites which cause the 

 respective attacks on Black and on Ecd Currants had not yet 

 been made out. Still it will be desirable to watch whether 

 infestation appears on the Ked and White Currants, and in 

 case of importation of plants from Germany, care should l.)e 

 given to this point. 



Skimming off just the top surface of the ground with the 

 old leaves on it when they have fallen in autumn, and burning 

 it, would do something towards preventing spread of infesta- 

 tion, taking care, of course, to work well in round the neck of 



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