456 



American Gooseberry Mildew. 



[NOV., 



was commenced about the end of May, when the same strength 

 as that used with the potassium sulphide (i.e., one ounce 

 to one gallon of water) was tried. At one plantation at 

 Lenchwyck, however, it was decided still to continue the 

 spraying with the potassium sulphide, in order to see what 

 the difference in the results might be between this and the 

 sodium sulphide. 



The bushes after this treatment still continued to look 

 very healthy, there being no signs of the berries falling off 

 or of the foliage being scorched in any way. There was as yet 

 no appearance of the disease in its summer stage on the berries 

 or leaves of the bushes in the affected plantations which 

 had been sprayed, nor in the plantation at Lenchwyck which 

 had been left unsprayed. The wash was shortly afterwards 

 used at the rate of one and a quarter ounces of sodium sulphide 

 to one gallon of water, and as still no ill effects were visible, 

 it was decided to strengthen it on 7th June to one and a half 

 ounces to one gallon of water. 



At this time, however, an examination of the bushes at 

 the affected plantation at Lenchwyck, at which no spraying 

 at all had been carried out, revealed rather suspicious symptoms 

 of the mildew, and, on a further examination three days 

 later, the mildew was found in its summer stage on the berries. 

 The mildew first appeared in white powdery patches, very 

 similar to the hop mould, but shortly afterwards became 

 dark brown in colour and formed dark scurfy blotches or 

 scabs on the ripening berries. Spraying the affected bushes 

 in this plantation was immediately commenced; the wash 

 being used at the rate of three ounces of sodium sulphide to 

 one gallon of water, or double the strength at which it was 

 being used at the remaining plantations which had under- 

 gone previous treatment. 



The wash, when used at this double strength, apparently 

 checked the spread of the disease on the berries, though it 

 did not appear to destroy it. On 5th July, however, the 

 mildew was seen to be still spreading on the young shoots, 

 and the young leaves were covered with the disease, even after 

 the bushes had been twice sprayed thoroughly. It may be 

 mentioned that even at this strength the wash had no effect 

 in checking the growth of the bushes, nor were there any 



