156 LETTERS TO MR. WISE [CHAP. xvi. 



of mine to be borne by any Company, but I should much 

 like it trustworthily tried, and if you could give me some 

 guidance as to where to apply on the Continent, and cost 

 (a rough estimate), I might be able to get the plants, and 

 with your permission send a good consignment to yourself. 



April 27, 1897. 



I have to-day heard from Dr. Ritzema Bos about the 

 Phytoptus ribis, and he tells me that in Holland he knows 

 many localities where this infestation is a scourge to fruit- 

 growers, but it is always the black currant which is attacked. 

 They do not have it there in the red currant, Ribes rnbrum. 

 He says that he is not acquainted with any better remedies 

 than those mentioned in my letter, but that he considers it 

 an excellent idea to seek for varieties or families of black- 

 currants, Ribes nigrum, which may be "Phytoptus proof." 

 He does not himself know positively whether there are 

 districts in Holland not attacked by the Phytoptus, and 

 whether in attacked districts there may be varieties that do 

 not suffer. Therefore he is going to ask for information on 

 this head from horticulturists and fruit-growers, and will 

 write me again. I think it is very kind of him to take so 

 much trouble to help us, and from his position I expect he 

 will easily obtain whatever information is to be had, and I 

 will be sure to let you know. It is very curious about the 

 red currant being attacked in some parts of the Continent 

 and not in others. 



November 30, 1897. 



I have this afternoon heard from Professor ]. Jablonowski, 

 Assistant at the State Entomological Station, Budapest, that 

 he "sends now the promised black currants." I expect 

 these will be supposed " mite-proof " plants, as he says that 

 he hopes they will be serviceable for the proposed experi- 

 ment but he does not explain ; only that they have been 

 given to him by his friend, the Director of the Horti- 

 cultural Institute, Desiderius Angyal (I do not know what 

 prefix I should write). When the plants arrive I propose to 

 divide them (if you please) between yourself and Mr. John 

 Speir it would be exceedingly interesting if there really 

 should turn out to be a mite-proof black currant. But 

 meanwhile Professor Jablonowski would very much like to 

 have a specimen of the mite galls, for he has never seen 

 them. If it would not be too much trouble, I should be 

 very greatly obliged if you would be kind enough to let me 

 have two or three bits of twigs with galls, if any are showing 

 enough now to be noticeable, and I would send them on. 



