THE CURRANT GALL MITE 185 



made up in the proportions of 6 Ibs. of oil to 10 gallons of 

 water. 



THE CURRANT GALL MITE (Big Bud). Attacks of this pest 

 cannot be mistaken. The buds appear large and round instead 

 of being pointed, and if opened and examined with a good magni- 

 fying glass will be found to contain large numbers of white mites. 

 The mites begin hatching in March, and from May to June lay 

 their eggs in the buds, from some of which mites are hatched the 

 same summer, while others remain unhatched until the following 

 spring. Some of the mites also remain in the buds through the 

 winter, and others hide in the roots. There is no certain remedy 

 other than picking off and burning infested buds, or in bad cases 

 digging up and destroying the whole bush. In some cases, how- 

 ever, it is stated that the pest has been destroyed at the time of 

 emerging from the previous year's buds in March, April, and May 

 by dusting the bushes at fortnightly intervals with a mixture of 

 powdered quick lime and flowers of sulphur, in the proportion 

 by weight of one of the former to two of the latter. 



THE POTATO DISEASE. The commonest and most serious 

 disease from which Potato plants suffer is that caused by a fungus 

 called Phytophthera infestans. The disease appears every year, 

 and apparently no variety is capable of resisting it, although it 

 is stated that some varieties suffer less than others. The first 

 symptoms of disease should be looked for between the last week 

 of June and the first week of August, when the mycelium of the 

 fungus may be found in white patches on the under surface of the 

 leaves. The hyphae penetrate into the tissues of the leaves, 

 feeding on the nutritive material which should go to nourish the 

 plant, and pass down through the stalks into the tubers. The 

 leaves show brown blotches under the patches, and in severe 

 cases the whole of the plant above ground becomes dark brown 

 and gives out an offensive smell. Besides the branches which 

 grow down into the stem of the plant, other branches grow out 

 through the stomatic openings on the under side of the leaves. 

 These produce conidia containing spores. When the conidia are 

 ripe they drop off, are blown about by the wind, and ultimately 



