428 



Gooseberry "Cluster-Cup" Disease. [oct., 



with the requisition of the local authority under this section,, 

 and, if he fails to do so, shall be liable in respect of each offence 

 to a penalty not exceeding £5 and a daily penalty not exceeding 

 405. 



Section 54 states that (1) every dairyman supplying milk 

 within the district of the local authority from premises whether 

 within or beyond the district aforesaid shall notify to the medi- 

 cal officer all cases of infectious disease among persons engaged 

 in or in connection with his dairy as soon as he becomes aware 

 or has reason to suspect that such infectious disease exists ; and 

 (2) any dairyman who shall fail to comply with this section shall, 

 for every such offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s. 



This disease (Puccinia pringsheimiana, Kleb.) is one of those- 

 sporadic diseases which are present during certain seasons in 

 considerable abundance, and then entirely 

 Gooseberry "Cluster- disappear for years. This behaviour 

 Cup 99 Disease. on the part of many parasitic fungi is at 

 present inexplicable ; there is no reason 

 for suspecting climatic conditions to be the cause, and the 

 requisite host-plants are equally available every season. 



The fungus forms bright orange patches on the leaves and 

 fruit, the patches eventually being covered with minute cup- 

 like bodies with white fringed edges and filled with orange- 

 coloured spores. 



It has been proved that other stages rn the life-cycle of the 

 gooseberry cluster-cup grow on living leaves of sedges (Car ex),. 

 appearing under the form of minute brown or blackish streaks 

 resembling in general appearance wheat rust (Puccinia graminis,. 

 Pers.). The winter spores produced on sedge leaves infect 

 gooseberry leaves and fruit, and give origin, to the " cluster- 

 cup " form of fruit. Although this is undoubtedly true, in 

 some instances, the fact that " cluster-cups " appear on goose- 

 berry bushes growing in gardens far removed from the vicinity 

 of sedges, suggests that under certain conditions the " cluster- 

 cup " condition can directly reproduce itself without the 

 intervention of another form of the fungus, as has been proved 

 to be the case with other rusts. 



