1921-22 DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS 261 



berry where they occur together. One station at Seguin Falls showed twenty- 

 three smooth gooseberry plants (G. oxyacanthoides) to eight prickly goose- 

 berries, and this is the only one recorded of which this is so. This is also by far 

 the largest figure for any gooseberry other than the prickly form. 



The following table (Table III) shows maximum and average figures for 

 the prickly gooseberry, skunk currant and total currants and gooseberries from 

 stations arbitrarily selected. In each case the figures have been expressed as 

 numbers of plants per acre. The minimum figure for each is 0. 



Table III. 



Max. Average. 



Prickly gooseberry 544 61 



Skunk currant 800 130 



Total currants and gooseberries 1,600 180 



Although such figures cannot be given any broad application or exact inter- 

 pretation, they convey, in a general way, an idea of the numbers in which these 

 plants may be found. 



Incidental Observations. — (1) The occurrence of Ribes glandulosum 

 completely hidden under a dense ground cover of young maple was noted in one 

 place, and in another this species was found similarly growing under brambles. 

 (2) The survival of gooseberries in burned over country was noted several 

 times. This takes place chiefly where large rocks occur. The gooseberries 

 become established in the crevices of the rocks, as well as close beside them and 

 in this way are protected from ground fires. They are able to fruit abundantly 

 in the light after the trees above have been removed by the fire and very soon 

 seed dissemination takes place. Burning over certainly does not rid the country 

 of these plants, in fact, by making possible the production of seed, the reverse 

 is accomplished. (3) At several points in the eastern portion of the territcry 

 the blister rust was found in several species of currants and gooseberries. The 

 species found infected were: Grossularia cynosbati, G. oxyacanthoides, Ribes 

 glandulosum, R. tris e. 



The infections in the case of G. cynosbati were several times very heavy 

 indeed. All the other species, however, were only slightly affected. The places 

 at which these observations of the rust took place were: 



1. Lot 16, Con. VI, Petawawa Township. 



2. On the outskirts of Pembroke, across from General Hospital. 



3. Lot 20, Con. VIII, Alice Township. 



4. Lot I, Con. XIV, Wilberforce Township. 



5. B. N. 190, Sherwood Township. 



6. B. S. 185, Sherwood Township. 



7. Lots 14-15, Con. IV, Sherwood Township. 



Conclusions. — The first thing to do in going about the eradication of 

 currants and gooseberries is to locate the plants. It is not sufficient that some 

 of them or even most of them should be located, all of them must be found. 



To do this in an extensive territory would be greatly simplified if it could 

 be shown that certain topographical and forest types are devoid of currants and 

 gooseberries and consequently do not require inspection. The reverse has been 

 the result of this survey. The distribution of currants and gooseberries has been 

 shown to include every type except the sphagnum bog. In all but one of these 

 types their occurrence is in from 50 to 100 per cent, of the possible total. • Con- 

 sequently, no territory, however small, may safely be left uninspected. 



