THE AMERICAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



239 



year there were several ; and the third, still more 

 infected witli it. They were taken up ; those 

 that appeared healthy were replanted in another 

 enclosure, and the tares carefully gathered, and 

 cast into the fire. 



The next season, one plant in the new planta- 

 tion proved to be infested with the fungus. 

 From this initial point, the infection rapidly 

 spread, until the whole row of fifty feet was 

 completely ruined, and committed to the flames. 



Nor did my misfortune end here : I had, in the 

 meantime, planted a row of the Lawton black- 

 berry parallel with it, and thirty feet distant 

 Jrom the native row. The second season, the 

 fungus appeared upon tliem also, and spread so 

 rapidly tliat in the si)ace of four years tliey too 

 were wholly consigned to the flames. 



After that, I obtained sets from a healthy 

 plantation, and planted them in a locality re- 

 mote from the aflected ground ; and liave thus 

 escaped further trouble from the Uredo for a 

 number of years. 



Three years ago 1 planted Wilson's Early in 

 the ground from which the infected plants had 

 been removed some six or eight years before ; 

 and they have continued healthy. 



These are 1\\q facts of my experience in culti- 

 vating tlie Blackberry fungus; but what is the 

 theory? As has been remarked, the very minute 

 spores can be carried far and wide, by the 

 winds ; but where is the place of their nidifica- 

 tion? Where do they vegetate, take root, and 

 grow? Is it in the root, the stem, or the leaf? 

 on the surface, or in the interior? Tliese are 

 difficult questions to answer, without more ob- 

 servation and scrutiny than liave yet been made. 

 Even analogy does not aflbrd us much assist- 

 ance — for there seems to be something sui gene- 

 ris in the character of this parasite; and in its 

 morbific efiects upon the whole plant, not usu- 

 ally pertaining to the fungi peculiar to leaves. 

 The young leaves present a discolored and sickly 

 appearance, before the fungus is visibly devel- 

 oped on their interior surface. In the first sea- 

 son the injury may be confined to the leaf and 

 the young shoot which sustains it; but the sec- 

 ond year the root sends up numerous slender, 

 feeble canes, which are manifestly diseased be- 

 fore there is or can be any development of the 

 fungus on the leaves. 



The probable inference, from the facts pre- 

 sented, is that the disease is at first localized in 

 the leaves, from which the whole plant becomes 

 contaminated, producing a constitutional mal- 

 ady. Or, what is scarcely less probable, and 

 perhaps more in accordance with recent devel- 

 opments in mycology — the disease may be pri- 



marily seated in the organism of the plant — the 

 visible growth upon the leaves being little more 

 than the fructification of the fungus. 



The increased number, the diminished size, 

 the feeble, sickly appearance of the infected 

 canes, forcibly remind us of the somewhat anal- 

 ogous eflfects of the yellows upon the peach tree. 



The remedy — perhaps the only available rem- 

 edy — for this formidable fungoid disease is, the 

 one which I have employed and found eftectual : 

 the complete destruction of the infected 2}lants, 

 and the avoidance of infection for the future. 



The conclusion of the last sentence looks to 

 some prophylactic means, whereby the spi'ead 

 of the disease may be prevented. In the kitchen 

 garden or farm fruit-patch the remedy which I 

 have proposed can be applied, without great 

 detriment to the owner. But when large nur- 

 series become infected, which annually send 

 out hundreds of thousands of plants, sowing the 

 mischief broadcast over the whole land, who 

 can estimate the injury which they inflict? It 

 is impossible. It has been said that "eternal 

 vigilance is the price of liberty." It is equally 

 so in this case. The utmost vigilance and care 

 must be taken by nurserymen to cleanse their 

 stock from this vegetable leprosy ; and purcha- 

 sers must be equally vigilant in selecting plants 

 from healthy nurseries. This is their only safety. 



Experience teaches further, that those who 

 cultivate the blackberry should keep a watch- 

 ful eye upon any native intruder, which mighl 

 introduce the insidious disease into their fruit- 

 grounds. 



[The above excellent article from Dr. Michener, 

 of New Garden, Pa., which we clip from the 

 Practical Farmer of that State, will be read 

 with interest by those who have been, or who 

 are likely to be, troubled with this fungus, 

 which we have referred to on jsrevions occa- 

 sions. — Ens.] 



CURCDLIO NOTES. 



EiHtors American, Entotnologisl : 



There are two questions connected with the 

 habits of the Curculio, of great practical as well 

 as scientific interest, about which there appears 

 to be considerable difference of opinion. The 

 first of these is, Does the Curculio produce 

 more than one brood in one and the same season? 

 The other is, What agency, if any, has this in- 

 sect in producing or promoting the rot in 

 peaches and plums? 



Having fought the "Little Turk " with some 

 diligence the current season, I have had an op- 



