

7 
I left England about the middle of January, and reached Bermuda 
the last day o = same month, and I remained in the Colony until the 
latter end of Apr 
e season -3 the year during which I was in Bermuda permitted 
me to see the whole growth an d m ethod of culture of the onion, from 
the time when it first appears above ground until it is pulled and 
packed for exportatio 
Whilst in Braki L lived at Hamilton, and established there a small 
laboratory for the experimental investigation of the diseased plants. 
From Hamilton I visited all parts of the Island, and inspected „many 
plantations. Some of them were suffering from ific disease, 
others, however, were simply suffering Pae dr ught, which had caused 
the ends of the leaves to shrivel and fall back ; again other crops were 
looking weak ma unhealthy from the poverty “of the soil upon which 
they were cultivated. 
During my gojan in the Bermudas, I received every possible atten- 
tion ‘aid “help from the officials of the Colony, and also from the farmers, 
who afforded me every facility for carrying out my investigations, and I 
take this opportunity of tendering my tha nks for ae assistance I 
received se everyone whilst carrying on my investi ns. 
way back to England I took the opportunity, whilst in the 
United States, of visiting Professor Farlow, of Harvard University, 
Cambridge, Mas ss., the eminent authority upon plant diseases, an 
consulting with him upon the best remedies to adopt for the disease. 
Professor Farlow had previously been in a ae the onion 
_ disease with some of the members of the Agricultural 
It was not until I returned to England that I could Ear the ficoks 
Engineering College, a well-known authority upon fungoid diseases. 
Sect. I.—TuEr DISEASE AND ITS CAUSE. 
The amount of disease amongst the onion plantations during ae 
season of 1887 was decidedly less than during men preceding year. 
was probably due to the atmospheric conditio s being unfavourable a 
the propagation and development of the Fea causing the disease. 
The disease amongst the onions in Bermuda is caused by the presence 
of a microscopic fungus as steel  parasitienlly upon the leaves of the 
T s kno 
Onion plant. This fun n to botanists under the name of 
pore Schleideniana, ‘De Tay, ( Botrytis a Berkeley,) 
and amongst the onion farmers of the Old World as the n Mildew 
t belongs to the same order of fungi as the wollckdiendss potato fungas; 
Its geogr aphical distribution is not well known, but it occurs in d, 
Germany, and has, I believe, been found in the United States. 
The first sign of the disease in an onion-patch is the aan of a 
silvery white powder which lies scattered on the upper (inner) surface th 
of the leaves of the onion plant, usually about three or four inches from 
the base of the leaf. This powdery growth gradually spreads over the 
whole leaf, which at the same time loses its plump eae and 
becomes hard and resistent when felt. After some days the powder 
which at first has a silvery-white appearance assumes a greyish-black 
hue 
The leaves of the affected plant maintain their ordinary erect position 
for some time, their tops then ge inwards, and then ultimately dry up, 
wither, and fall back. (Fig. 1.) 
Disease during 
1887. 
The cause of 
the disease. 
Symptoms of 
he disease. 
