190/.] The Black Currant Gall-Mite. 



591 



any purpose is during the season of migration.* The extensive 

 experiments carried out at Woburn with petroleum, calcium 

 sulphide, carbolic acid, antinonnin, &c. (where thirty bushes in a 

 double row were treated once a month for each experiment), 

 proved ineffective, as did also undiluted methylated spirits, 

 naphtha, a saturated solution of naphthalene in naphtha, a 

 2 per cent., a 0*5 and a o*i per cent, solution of formalin, 

 turpentine, undiluted petroleum, and petroleum emulsion : 

 I part of petroleum, 5 parts of water, and 2 of soft soap, applied 

 once a month with a brush. 



I have made experiments with various arsenical fluids, bruised 

 hellebore, lime, sulphur and lime, &c., &c., and while many have 

 considerably reduced the numbers of the mites only the lime and 

 sulphur have any practical value. 



In 1 90 1 some small bushes which were very badly infested 

 were treated with the following sprayfluid twice a week during 

 the migration season: Sulphur, 2 lb. ; soft soap, 251b.; water, 

 50 gallons, made as follows : — Mix the sulphur to a gruel with 

 water, the soft soap should be mixed with 5 gallons of boiling 

 water ; then add the two mixtures together and mix well, after 

 which add slowly sufficient water to make 50 gallons. 



The results obtained from the use of this sprayfluid are very 

 encouraging. The new buds which came out in 1901 were very 

 carefully examined until nearly the end of the year, and on 

 only one bush were mites found in them, and only very few, the 

 actual numbers in the different buds examined in August, 190 1, 

 being : 12, 3, 7, 5, 3, 3, 12, 3, 7, 7, 6, 5, 3, 12. In 1902 these same 

 bushes were under constant observation, but no mites were seen 

 or any indication of them. As these bushes were growing not 

 far from some infested bushes they were sprayed during the 

 migration season as in the previous year. In 1903 they still 

 remained free from mites, and an examination of almost every 

 bud on one particular tree at the beginning of 1904 failed to 

 discover either mites or eggs, and all the trees were free of 

 abnormal buds. 



These experiments, although very successful, were not of the 

 nature that a fruit-grower could apply at a cost which would 

 repay him for the extra labour involved, although certain 



* Recently certain writers have suggested spraying or treating the bushes in 

 January. ' . 



