The Canadian Horticulturist. 217 



Fig. 52 shows a section through a portion of a blackberry leaf, affected with 

 Casoma nitens ; a a shows the epidermis of the lower side of the leaf, ruptured 

 by it, exposing to view at d a mass of golden colored spores, each of which is 

 •capable of conveying the disease to other plants ; c c represent haustoria, by 

 means of which the fungus draws nourishment from the cells. 



PEAR LEAF BLISTER MITE. 



Sir, — I enclose you leaves of pear trees, diseased or blighted. If you can explain the 

 cause of the blight, and the remedy, I would be pleased. I have eight or ten trees attacked 

 with this disease. 



RoBT. Fife, Ptterhoro\ Ont. 



This mite is by no means a new enemy. Leaves affected with the same 

 were sent us last summer from J. K. McMichael, of Waterford, and George H. 

 Nixon, Hyde Park Corner ; and a description, with remedy, was then given on 

 pages 253 and 35=; of the Horticulturist for i8gi. However, for the benefit 

 of others we will here insert a brief description of the insect. The name of the 

 blister mite is Phytoptus pyri. It is an extremely small mite, that forms blister- 

 like galls on the leaves. In each of these galls there are several young mites, 

 which make their exit through a small hole in the centre of the gall. The young 

 mites, after remaining inside the gall for some time, come out and work their 

 way into the tissue of the leaves at some uninjured spot. They increase rapidly 

 and eventually do much harm to the trees. The mites live in the galls until the 

 autumn when the leaves fall, when most of them migrate to the leaf buds and 

 €nds of the twigs, where they pass the rest of the winter. It is a very trouble- 

 some insect to overcome. The remedies advised are close pruning in the 

 winter or early spring, followed by a thorough syringing of the young foliage 

 with kerosene emulsion. It is also wise to burn all the leaves which fall in the 

 autumn. Prof. Fletcher advises the addition of flowers of sulphur to the kero- 

 sene emulsion, in the proportion of two ounces of the former to every ten gallons 

 of the latter after dilution. 



NAMINCx FRUITS ON EXHIBITION. 



Sir, — I have for a long time been thinking of writing to you about the exhibits of fruits 

 at the Toronto Industrial. I notice that our exhibitors, almost without exception, write 

 the names of the different fruits so small that people with poor eyesight cannot decipher 

 them. This causes the caretakers a great deal of trouble, answering questions If there 

 were printed labels used, there would be none of this trouble. Do you not think this sub- 

 ject worthy of being discussed in our Society ? It would certainly convey a great favor 

 upon the old and poor sighted, and, indeed, the general public, if the change were made. 



Thos. Handley, Orton, Ont. 



The subject suggested by our correspondent is certainly worthy of careful 

 consideration by the directors of the Industrial, as well as the directors of every 



