THE CANADIAN HORTICULTUMST. 



77 



FUNGOID DISEASES OF THE STRAW- 

 BEERY. 



Mr. F. S. Earle, of Cobden, Illinois, 

 read a very interesting paper on this 

 subject before the American Horticul- 

 tural Society, at its recent meeting in 

 New Orleans. He states that he has 

 observed ten different species of fungi 

 infesting the strawberry plants of 

 Southern Illinois, of which five proved 

 to be new and undescribed species. Of 

 the injurious fungi, the species known 

 as ramularia hdasuei (Sacc), is the 

 most important, occurring on wild and 

 cultivated strawbei-ry plants from New 

 England to California. Its presence on 

 the leaf is usually indicated at first by 

 a reddish blotch j and later by a white 

 spot about an eighth of an inch in di- 

 ameter, surrounded by a reddish border, 

 and remarks that the greatest damage 

 ensues when it attacks the stems and 

 calyx of the growing fruit. Thus far 

 it seems to have caused more damage to- 

 ward the southern and less toward the 

 northern border of the strawberry belt. 

 The only remedy proposed is dusting 

 the plants with lime, which, he says, 

 has been practised for some years by 

 growers in Connecticut and Tennessee, 

 with good results. 



The next species in importance is 

 gloeosporium iwtentillce ( Ouds), which has 

 perhaps as wide a geographical range as 

 the other, and in its earlier stages is 

 ■difficult to distinguish from it, but 

 which instead of developing a central 

 white spot, shews a number of very 

 minute black pustules bursting up 

 through the epidermis. This fungus 

 has proved with Mr. Earle more 



destructive, but fortunately so far 

 restricted to limited areas and a few 

 varieties. He knows of no remedy 

 having been tried for this species. Mr. 

 Earle's paper is one of great interest to 

 all strawberry growei'S, and is well 

 worthy of their careful perusal. It will 

 be published in full in the forthcoming 

 transactions of the American Horticul- 

 tural Societv. 



WOODRUFF RED GRAPE. 

 This is said to be another Concord 

 Seedling, ripening a little earlier than 

 the parent, and considered to be worth}- 

 of dissemination for the reason that it 

 is very hardy, a stronger grower than 

 the Concord, remarkably healthy, never 

 having been known to suffer from mil- 

 dew or rot. The fruit is attractive in 

 appearance on account of the large size 

 both of bunch and berry, and its bright 

 color ; and it is said to be remarkable 

 for its keeping qualities, having been 

 kept in good condition until the middle 

 of February. We have never yet tasted 

 this grape, and therefore cannot give 

 our opinion of its quality, but we under- 

 stand it shows the usual characteristics 

 of the Labrusca family to which it be- 

 longs. A fruit dealer says that it out 

 sells anything in the grape line he ever 

 handled, bringing three times as much 

 as the Concoi'd every time. {See p. 76). 



MINNEWASKI BLACKBERRY. 

 This is a new variety, originated by 

 Mr. A. J. Cay wood, of Marlboro', N.Y., 

 and which is said to be wonderfully 

 prolific, yielding very large berries, 

 some of them neasuring an inch in 



