—_- "7 
1900 SUPPLEMENT—RECENT INTRODUCTIONS, &C. 163 
BROWNING, or BRUNISSURE. Although this 
troublesome disease is usually associated with Vines, 
yet it is by no means confined thereto, Apples, Pears, 
Cherries, Apricots, Melons, Cucumbers, Aucubas, and 
several others being liable to, its attacks. The disease is 
one which frequently troubles the gardener, and even the 
plant-pathologist is not altogether certain as* to its origin. 
By many it is ascribed to. the presence of one of the so- 
called Slime fungi, which Viala and Sanvageau have named 
Plasmodiophora vitis, thus making it a near relative of 
the pest causing Club Root in Cabbages and other Cruci- 
fere. Others favour the idea that the disease is due 
rather to errors in cultivation. One thing, however, is 
certain, that the presence of green manure, badly-drained 
quarters, and wet and sunless weather, are predisposing 
causes. ; 
The symptoms, as the common names above adopted 
suggest, are a Browning of the foliage, or it may be of the 
parts adjacent thereto. The spots are pale at first, and 
small, but rapidly extend, and change to a brown or 
reddish-brown, and not infrequently prematurely fall. 
Where cultural errors like those noted above exist, they 
should be remedied ; while the employment of a fungicide, 
such as sulphide of potassium (t0z. to gall. of water), 
should also be tried. 
‘ 
BROWNLEEA (named in honour of Rev. J. 
Brownlee, a missionary stationed in King William’s 
Town, Caffraria, who discovered two of the species). 
Orp. Orchidex. A small genus (three species) of green- 
house, terrestrial Orchids, natives of South Africa. They 
are closely allied to Disa (which see for culture), but 
have a very small, upturned lip, and an erect, concave or 
helmet-shaped odd sepal without a spur. Only one species 
is known to cultivation. 
B. cserulea (blue). 7. pale blue, with violet dots and a long, 
straight spur; spike erect, lax, many-flowered. J. two or three, 
sessile or shortly petiolate, ovate or lanceolate, acuminate, 
three-ribbed. Stem erect, Se aaa Sats from an amor- 
phous, lobed tuber. 1893. (B. M. 7309.) 
BROWNLOWIA. = Three species of stove trees, 
natives of tropical America, are included in this genus. 
Flowers yellow, mediocre or ‘rather small; calyx cam- 
panulate, irregularly three- to five-cleft; petals five, 
narrowed at base; stamens indefinite. Leaves entire, three- 
to five-nerved at base and penniveined. 
BROWN ROT OF FRUIT (Monilia fructigena). 
Many kinds of fruits, both hard and soft, from the Apple 
and Pear to the Strawberry and Cherry, are liable to 
attacks from this mould, and in the case of Strawberries 
it is very difficult to deal with. The fungus attacks 
all parts of the plant from leaves to fruits, though the 
condition is more familiar to the gardener in the case of 
the latter, in which the first symptoms are the brownish- 
red patches, followed later by the greyish tufts, consisting 
of chains of spores arranged somewhat concentrically, 
waiting to be disseminated. The fruits attacked eventually 
have a dried-up appearance, and the small branches die 
away. ‘The disease is tided over the winter by means of 
the hard bodies known as Sclerotia (which see). These 
form in the dried up fruits and, with the bursting of the 
new leaves, the tree is again attacked by the spores of 
the fungus released. 
All shrivelled fruits should be removed and burned, and 
the foliage and twigs should be similarly treated. Care 
should also be taken that all fallen foliage and fruits are 
collected and burnt. Early in the New Year trees like 
Apples, Pears, Plums, and Cherries should be well sprayed 
with copper sulphate, }lb.; water, ligall. This must 
never be applied to trees with expanded buds. It is a 
winter dressing only. Sulphide of potassium (loz. to 3gall. 
of water) should also be tried at intervals when the leaves 
in the young state show the greenish-brown mould. In 
Brown Rot of Fruit—continued. 
the case of Strawberries more drastic measures have to 
be taken. ‘The plants, after the crop has been gathered, 
should be cut down and the whole burned; while the next 
season, weak Bordeaux Mixture or sulphide of potassium 
should be thoroughly sprayed on before they blossom. 
BROWN-TAIL MOTH. At times this Moth, 
which is illustrated and briefly described in Vol. II., under 
Liparis, proves very destructive to orchard trees, and 
also to other trees in park and garden. The insects are 
very prolific, and from two hundred to three hundred eggs 
are laid by an individual. The eggs themselves are 
seldom seen, as they are ingeniously covered up by the 
hairs found at the anal extremity of the female, which then 
dies. The eggs hatch out in August, and the little insects 
live gregariously. As the cold weather approaches, they 
betake themselves to shelters which they make, first having 
secured the leaves by means of threads. Here they remain 
until the following spring, when they emerge from their 
retreat and start upon the unopened buds, and eventually on 
the flowersand leaves. Towards the end of May the colonies 
breakup, and the caterpillars may be found singly and 
nearly full-fed. Care should be taken not to handle the 
hairy larve, as the hairs sting and cause considerable 
pain. 
The cocoons in which the pupal state is passed may be 
found between spun-together leaves. As these also 
contain the irritable hairs of the larve, they should be 
earefully handled. 
All fruit trees should be examined in winter, as, being 
bare, nests, &c., of destructive Moths may be more readily 
seen and destroyed. 
BRUCEA. Syn. Nima. This genus comprises five 
species, natives of tropical Asia, Africa, Australia, and 
Northern India. They are remarkable for their intensely 
bitter properties, similar to Quassia. , 
BRUCHUS. A large genus of Beetles, of which 
thirteen species are either natives of, or introductions into, 
this country. The larve are very destructive to Peas, 
Beans, and other Leguminous plants. The characters of 
the family are set forth under Beetles. The chief is that 
the head is free and produced in front. There is not, 
however, a distinct beak, as in the Weevils. Two species 
are very abundant here— 
B. pisi infesting Peas, and 
B. rufimanus Beans ; there 
also occurs another species 
in goodly numbers, B. fab, 
an insect which is very de- 
structive in America alike 
to the crops when growing, 
and when housed in the 
granaries. 
B. pisi (Fig. 182) is ob- 
long-ovate and black; the 
wing-cases, which do not 
cover the whole of the body, 
Agriculture. are banded, and covered 
Fig. 182. PEA BEETLE with greyish-brown pubes- 
(Bruchus pisi). cence. The Beetles, which 
1 and la, Beetle, natural size are about tin. long, are on 
ae aisd el Maoeecd the wing at the time the 
hole of insect: rs Peas are podding. The eggs 
are deposited on the newly- 
formed pods, and in due time the larve bore through and 
feed upon the seeds, gnawing through them except for a 
very thin skin. The remaining stages are passed in the 
Peas, and finally the Beetle emerges through the exit-hole 
practically made by the larve before assuming the pupa- 
state. Suchinfested Peas germinate badly, if at all. Care, 
therefore, should be taken to remove all black-specked ones 
at the time of sowing. According to Prof. Riley, one test is 
to put the seed-Peas into water, and reject as unsound 
By permission of the Board of 
