45o American Gooseberry Mildew. [nov., 



Apart from a small outbreak in Kent, Worcestershire was 

 the only county known to be affected during the greater 

 part of the first six months of 1907, and Worcestershire was 

 the first county in which a systematic attempt was made to 

 cope with the disease. As I was engaged during a considerable 

 part of that time in searching for infected bushes, and had 

 special opportunities for noting the manifestations of the disease 

 and its behaviour under the spraying operations carried on 

 by the County Council, I have thought it worth while to put 

 on record some of my observations made at the time. Such a 

 record may be of some use in dealing with the history of the 

 mildew in England, and may serve as a guide for others, 

 whether in this country or abroad, who may be interested 

 in the subject. It may, perhaps, save others from adopting 

 costly and troublesome methods of spraying which have already 

 been proved to be unsuccessful. 



It is not surprising that the American gooseberry mildew 

 was first discovered in England in the Evesham district of 

 Worcestershire, since this area is one of the leading fruit- 

 growing districts in this country, and as it grows more goose- 

 berries than any other county, it is more likely to be searched. 

 But it is remarkable that the disease should have got such a 

 firm hold before being identified. It was discovered in the 

 autumn of 1906 by Mr. E. S. Salmon, but in the course of the 

 search that was made during the next few months, while the 

 disease was still in its winter stage, no less than 27 other places 

 were found to be infected. The disease was practically con- 

 fined to the southern half of the county — that is to say, the 

 Evesham and Pershore districts — an inspection of a fairly large 

 area £0 the north of Worcester revealing only two cases. The 

 discovery of the first of these led to the discovery of the 

 second. 



The situation of the infected premises is the first point 

 to be dealt with. The fruit-growing area of Worcestershire 

 may be divided into the Evesham district and the Pershore 

 district, which are distinct though practically adjoining. 

 The most important centre of disease in the first of these 

 districts is Lenchwyck, where twenty-one infected plantations 

 were found. These lay all together, practically touching 

 each other, except in the case of one which was distant from 



