CURRANT GALL MITE. 37 



The above notes are abridged from the publications referred to in 



the foot-note.* 



The great point calling for observation is the fact of migration at 

 the date ichich is shown by the old galls which have fed their (so to 

 say) " pestiferous " contents during the autumn, winter, and spring 

 dying and drying, and the Mites (no longer being able to gain nourish- 

 ment, and also in some cases their term of propagation and life being 

 over) consequently also dying in very great numbers ; whilst others, 

 presumably amongst the adult Mites, such as were ready for, but not 

 exhausted with, propagation, and also young Mites in incomplete 

 stage, removing themselves by voluntary migration to the embryo 

 buds, and beginning their arrangements for the next year's mischief. 



The attention of readers is particularly requested to the abo\'e 

 CIRCUMSTANCES in regard to the statements somewhat idly made by 

 those who have not taken the trouble to study the information pub- 

 lished on the subject, that "we do not know the life-history." How 

 we can utilize it remains to be seen, and as facts stand they show 

 that what is especially needed is syringing that will lodge dressings, 

 pernicious to the Acari, or Mites, in the axils of the leaves at the very 

 time of all others when the ripening or ripened state of the fruit 

 makes it most desirable that the bushes should not be meddled with 

 in the way of being put under treatment. It also shows that the 

 transference of the Mites is peculiarly liable to be assisted by their 

 adherence to the clothes of the workers brushing about amongst the 

 bushes where these are grown in areas of fields of many acres unmixed 

 with partition bands of other bush or ground fruit or crop not liable 

 to Mite infestation. 



It is open to proof that breaking off the galled buds and destroying 

 them must lessen amount of coming infestation ; amounts varying 

 from 1^ to 16 quarts picked off per acre speak for themselves, and if 

 much benefit accrued, the cost varying from 3s. 6d. to 10s. lOd. per 

 acre would not be of very great importance. But we want something 

 better ; the researches now going on may bring to light some un- 

 expected method of lessening the trouble ; but we have before us the 

 absolute certainty that the method of growing Black Currants in close 

 rows and large areas, from large quarters up to fields or acres in 



* ' Die Naturgeschichte der Gallmilben,' von Prof. Dr. Alfred Nalepa, pp. 15, 18. 

 (Erganzter Sonderabdruck aus dem ix Jahrsberichte des K.K. Staats-Gymnasium 

 in Wien iv Bezirk.) 



"Eecent Investigations of the Currant Bud Mite (Phytoptus ribis)," by K. 

 Newstead, F.E.S., Curator of the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, Lecturer on Economic 

 Entomology for the Cheshire County Council, pp. 5-7. Eeprinted from ' The 

 British Naturalist ' for June, 189-1. Price 3d. 



