G8 GOOSEBERRY. 



yet not as being injurious to the Gooseberry-bushes, until, in both 

 countries, similar conditions of drought occurred in 1893, which were 

 repeated in the spring of 1894 — that it seems desirable to record the 

 parallel observation. 



The kind of Red Spider which has been troubling us in Gooseberry- 

 ground during the past two seasons, is of the shape figured, magnified, 

 at p. 62, and is distinguishable from the Red Spider of the Hop by 

 the great length of the front pair of legs. Where there are several of 

 the Acari together, their presence may be observed by the little patch 

 of reddish colour ; otherwise they are hardly distinguishable by the 

 naked oyo, as each " Spider," ov Mite, is only about the thirty-second 

 of an inch (that is, the quarter of an eighth of an inch) in length. The 

 colour of the Mites was of some shade of brick-red, varying from bright 

 to ordinary brick colour, and sometimes much darker and duller in 

 tint.* 



Prevention and Remedies. — The preventive measures lie to a con- 

 siderable extent in being on the alert, and taking the attack in good 

 time. Where one or two bushes only are found to be infested, it is 

 best to sacrifice them. If they are cut down and burnt directly, this 

 will save a deal of trouble, especially if some treatment is applied to 

 the spot where the bushes stood. If the surface soil is turned well 

 under (not merely dug, which often is more a dispersion than a cure 

 of insect presence), and a good soaking with water given, probably the 

 mischief would be got rid of. 



In Dr. Friedrich Thomas's publication, previously quoted, he men- 

 tions that the continued application of moisture partially stupefies the 

 Mites — that it causes a lethargic condition, from which they recover on 

 being dried by surrounding circumstances, but in which, if continued 

 for some days, they waste. From this it would appear that if infested 

 surface of the ground was turned down and thoroughly well wetted, 

 especially if some soft-soap mixture was added which would still 

 further choke their breathing-apparatus, it would do a deal of good as 

 to what might be in the earth. 



From the past season's observations, it is obvious that well washing 

 down the bushes with whatever mixture may be preferred as soon as 

 ever the first beginnings of Red Mite presence are noticeable is very 

 important. Thus we clear off, whilst still numbering only scores or 

 hundreds, what before long would have multiplied to countless numbers. 



* For details of this attack, with determination by Mr. Albert Michael of the 

 species as Bryobia pratiosa of C. L. Koch, and its possible similarity with B. 

 speciosa (figured also at p. 62) of the same observer, and other points unnecessary 

 to repeat again this year, the reader is referred to my paper in my ' Seventeenth 

 Eeport on Injurious Insects,' pp. 32 — 38. — Ed. 



