584 Insect and Fungus Pests in September. [Sept., 



appearance in various districts. It is a soil fungus, and attacks 

 plants only when they are very young. The disease can then be 

 detected, as grey streaks on the leaves and bulbs; later it 

 breaks through as a black powder. Where found its presence 

 should be reported at once to the Ministry. 



In many cases runner beans or peas curled or having 

 small dark-coloured spots or patches which sink below the general 

 level of the surface. This is a sign of the Bean Pod Canker, and 

 infected beans should not be used for seed, as the resulting crop 

 would show the disease at an early stage of growth and be killed 

 before the flowering season is reached. Full particulars of this 

 disease are given in Leaflet No. 185. 



Fruit. — At this time of the year fruit growers are often puzzled 

 to account for the various markings upon fruit, more especially 

 on apples, which are frequently spoiled for market purposes. 

 The commonest of these markings, namely, those caused by 

 apple scab, are fairly well known, and may be shown by dark 

 or russety patches, or in extreme cases deep cuts and cracks. 

 Markings that are not so well known are found in certain 

 districts ; these are caused by capsid bugs, and the green apple 

 capsid, Plesiocoris rugicollis, punctures the leaves and 

 fruit, and also the shoots of the apple. A full account of the 

 insect and the damage it causes are given in Leaflet No. 319. 

 It may here be stated, however, that the attacked apples are 

 usually deformed : the skin shows rough, russety patches with 

 scattered pits and pimples, indicating the position of the original 

 punctures. As in the case of apple scab, really bad specimens 

 are shapeless, and may have cracks extending deeply into the 

 interior. The best way to control this pest is by spraying with 

 nicotine and soft soap before the blossom bursts. 



Brown Rot on plums and apples was mentioned in the notes 

 in the July issue of this Journal. Owing to the wet weather the 

 trouble became serious, and it is probable that there will be a 

 large number of apples attacked by this disease. In such cases 

 every effort should be made to remove and burn all diseased 

 fruit, and where possible to cut out the spurs to which the 

 fruit was attached, as such spurs are now known to be infected. 



Among the plum trees. Silver Leaf should still be looked for, 

 and trees which are showing a silvering of the leaves should be 

 dealt with or marked if it is not possible to do more. Where 

 onlv one portion of a tree is attacked it is usually sufficient to 

 cut the diseased part away, but care should be taken that the 

 branch is removed sufficiently far back that no mycelium or 



