46 CURRANT. [1900 



merely been removed averaf][ed iu number of shoots about eight each, 

 the length of the shoots being about eighteen inches. The plants which 

 had been washed averaged about five in number in shoots, the length 

 of the shoots being about fifteen inches. From the above points it was 

 obvious that the washing was by no means good for the general health 

 of the plants, and it may be further added that, although the simply 

 moved plants appeared excellently healthy, the others were by no 

 meaus in equally good condition. 



The observations of the following year — that is, of the past season 

 (1900) — showed that to some degree all the plants which had been 

 experimented on were unsatisfactorily affected. All of them flowered 

 profusely, but the luxuriant bloom proved a complete failure, no fruit 

 at all being produced. 



With regard to presence of mite-galls, which was the object of the 

 experiment, we found, in observations taken on or about Nov. 7th, 

 that on the eight plants which had survived of the twelve that had 

 been treated by being steeped in methylated spirit and water, there 

 were only two galled buds to be found. But to set against this 

 advantage it should be noticed that, besides a third of the plants having 

 died under the treatment, all of the remaining eight were sickly and 

 some obviously perishing. 



Of the twelve plants which had simply been cut down (as mentioned 

 above) and then replanted in my garden, one died, and on examination 

 on Nov. 7th, galled buds proved to be unmistakably present. These 

 were not as yet large, only just small round knobs, but they were 

 numerous, what might be called a fair sprinkling. It is also perhaps 

 worth record that, as far as I noticed, these infested buds were on 

 the lower parts of the shoots, not at all on the i(p])cr ends or upper 

 parts of the shoots, as has been commonly noticed to be the case. 



The presence of the mischief appeared to be entirely limited to the 

 plants, which, as above mentioned, must have conveyed it on thonseh-es 

 into my garden, for, on careful examination, my own plot of old- 

 standing Black Currants proved still to be as free from presence of 

 mite-galls as I have found them since the autumn of 1887, when first 

 I knew them. 



The result of the experiment appears to be definite proof that, 

 besides presence of the mite {l\ rihis) in egg or more advanced stage 

 in galls (or possibly also otherwise located) on the higher parts of the 

 plants, it also is to be, or may be, found at the roots or at the very 

 lowest parts of the stems, such as were left unremoved on the plants 

 sent me for experiment. 



How far this knowledge can be utilized remedially I do not at 

 present see, where considerations regard growing bushes ; but I think it 

 shows that we cannot expect anything more than very temporary relief 



