142 APPENDIX. 
development of these into spherical or somewhat oval soft green knobs, 
formed outside of greenish scales or abortive leaves folding over each 
other, and inside of the various parts which would gradually have 
developed into leaves, flowers, and fruit, in contorted and unnatural 
condition, and abortive for any useful purpose. 
These ‘‘ knobs"? may be found forming during the winter whilst 
the healthy buds are still of their natural shape, and in January may 
be found up to as much as a quarter of an inch in diameter, and 
containing within them numbers of the Mites and some eggs. Later 
on, growth of the gall knobs continues until they may at times be 
found as large as some specimens sent me from Toddington during 
the past season, which proved to be for the most part from about three 
to four-eighths of an inch in diameter, and, in the case of the upper 
specimens, were dying and drying off into the condition in which the 
Mites leave them and emigrate to set up attack in the still embryo 
buds in the axils of the leaves. 
Much consideration has been given to the subject by various of 
our leading experts on Currant growing, and various experiments are 
being set on foot, and especially on the Experimental Fruit Farm of 
the Duke of Bedford near Woburn, Bedfordshire, which it is hoped 
may throw some light on how to mitigate the great and the increasing 
loss. But the history of the infestation not being as fully before the 
public as seems desirable, I have endeavoured in the following pages 
to give some information on,—firstly, the records we have of the first 
observation of the pest in this country; secondly, its life-history ; 
thirdly, observations of presence in different parts of the country, 
together with notes of various kinds of treatment which, even where 
temporarily successful, have not answered permanently in getting rid 
of the attack; and fourthly, considerations as to improved methods of 
crowing, and also notes of experimental treatment which it is proposed 
to carry out under careful supervision at the Duke of Bedford’s Fruit 
Farm, Ridgmont, Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire, and which I am kindly 
favoured by permission to insert. 
First observations of the Black Currant Bud Gall infestation in this 
country.—The first definite allusion to the presence of this Black 
Currant bud disease being observed in England took place (so far as I 
am aware) at the meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Royal 
Horticultural Society on March 2nd, 1869. Prof. M. J. Berkeley then 
called attention to some buds of the Black Currant, sent from Bedale, 
Yorkshire, which were curiously deformed (similarly, it is noted, to 
some specimens previously described by Prof. Berkeley in the ‘ Gar- 
deners’ Chronicle’ for 1864, p. 863). Prof. Westwood, on examining 
the buds, gave it as his opinion that the growth in question was due 
to the attack of a peculiar species of Acarus differing considerably 
