4-6o 



American Gooseberry Mildew. [nov., 



bushes were scarcely ever dry, owing to the showers that 

 fell while spraying was carried out. In a large number of cases 

 it was nearly impossible for the sun and air to penetrate the 

 dense foliage above to the bushes below. It was, perhaps, for- 

 tunate in some respects that there was no hot sunny weather, as it 

 would have been impossible, judging from previous evidence 

 on the subject, to have used the wash at the strength at 

 which it was used during the latter part of the period. Accord- 

 ing to information collected from the Continent and America, 

 it appears that spraying with potassium sulphide is not only 

 liable to injure certain varieties of gooseberries, so that the 

 leaves and even the fruit fall off, but that it is insufficient 

 to stop entirely the development of the fungus. Up to 8th July, 

 when the spraying was concluded, no signs were observed 

 of the leaves or berries falling off on account of the wash, 

 although it was used at the rate of one and a half ounces of 

 sodium sulphide to one gallon of water. At several plantations, 

 however, rain fell in quantities immediately after the spraying 

 had been completed, and before the leaves of the bushes had 

 time to dry. On the other hand a slight increase of the strength 

 of the sodium sulphide wash over the proportion last quoted 

 when used on a few bushes as a test in one rather hot week caused 

 some of the leaves to fall off, though no berries were affected. 



The results of the spraying as a means of checking the 

 disease may be described as not altogether satisfactory. 

 Not only have bushes previously affected been attacked 

 again in spite of all precautions, but bushes which last 

 winter were believed to be free from disease have become 

 affected in spite of careful pruning, followed by regular 

 spraying. It is true that results apparently satisfactory 

 have been given in certain cases, and it is surprising how 

 few berries were attacked compared with the number of 

 diseased shoots ; but it is clear that even pruning and spraying 

 will not ensure immunity from the disease, and apart from 

 the requirements of the law, growers would surely not prefer 

 to prune their bushes hard, to spray six or seven times, and 

 then get a crop tainted with disease, when by destroying 

 totally and immediately all diseased bushes they can extirpate 

 a pest which has but newly arrived, arid has not yet shown 

 its full power for evil. 



