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American Gooseberry Mildew. [may, 



Precautions to be observed by Growers. — Although there 

 are many affected gardens in certain districts, and although 

 infection may doubtless be conveyed by wind, birds, insects, 

 and other means which are outside a grower's control, it does 

 not follow that it is useless to take precautions against infec- 

 tion. Even in Worcestershire, where the disease has longest 

 been known to exist, by far the greater number of gardens 

 are free, and of those infected a comparatively small number 

 are badly attacked. 



Again, as has already been stated, the disease does not 

 always spread rapidly, and in many of the cases in which it 

 has suddenly appeared all over a plantation there has been 

 reason to suspect that the plantation had been affected for 

 some time without attracting attention. On the other hand, 

 in many of the cases in which the mildew has been dis- 

 covered early and prompt action has been taken, disease has 

 not spread throughout the plantation. 



When the disease is neglected and allowed to spread all 

 over a garden, the cost of treating it is heavy, and in many 

 of the worst cases it pays the owner better to grub up the 

 plantation than to attempt to cure the affected bushes. It is 

 quite clear, therefore, that it is worth a fruit-grower's while 

 to take precautions to prevent infection, and to prevent 

 disease from spreading if his garden should unfortunately 

 become infected. 



Fruit-growers are recommended to observe the following 

 precautions : — • 



(1) Plants should not be purchased from nurserymen or 

 dealers unless a guarantee is given that they are free from 

 American Gooseberry Mildew. Young shoots should be cut 

 back before being planted and the prunings burned. 



(2) So many cases have been found in which disease has 

 begun on bushes close to the packing-sheds or other places 

 near which "empties" have been stored, that baskets, 

 barrels, sacks, &c, which may recently have been in a 

 diseased garden should be treated with suspicion. Empties 

 sent by salesmen for carrying fruit of any kind to market 

 should not be taken direct into gooseberry plantations. They 

 should first be disinfected. Baskets may be disinfected by 

 dipping them in boiling water or in a solution of 1 lb. blue- 



