1909.] American Gooseberry Mildew. 



121 



stone (copper sulphate) to 20 gallons of water ; sacks may be 

 scalded. Even if disinfected, packages should not be taken 

 into fruit plantations until actually required. As already 

 stated, the summer spores of mildew do not live long, and 

 every day's delay in bringing baskets near gooseberry bushes 

 makes the risk of infection less. 



(3) Labourers who have been working in a garden in 

 which the disease exists in its summer stage should not be 

 set to work in a clean gooseberry plantation for a week at 

 least unless means have been taken to disinfect their clothing. 



(4) Growers should make a practice of searching their 

 plantations for traces of disease at frequent intervals, 

 especially in the months of July, August, and September. 

 Young leaves which are attacked generally curl upwards 

 and show a white under-surface covered with mildew. 

 Pickers should be told to report at once any cases of mould 

 on the berries. As indicated above, outbreaks of disease in 

 plantations in which mildew has not previously appeared 

 are very often found near packing-sheds, so that special care 

 should be taken in examining bushes near the places where 

 gooseberries, plums, &c, have been got ready for market. 



(5) As disease may appear at any time between May and 

 November, fruit-growers should keep on their premises a 

 few pounds of liver of sulphur. This substance, when 

 freshly made up, as explained below, is the best spraying 

 material for summer use, A good quality should be procur- 

 able at 6d. per lb. It must be kept in an air-tight tin or a 

 corked bottle, for if exposed to air it quickly loses its value. 

 A spraying pump should also be kept in readiness. The 

 ordinary knapsack sprayer costing about 35s. would serve 

 for ordinary plantations, or a hand-pump of the syringe 

 pattern costing 75. 6d. to 15s. might be used in small gardens. 



Treatment of a First Outbreak. — Assuming that a watch- 

 ful fruit-grower discovers the disease as soon as it gets into 

 his plantation, he should at once remove and destroy the 

 affected berries or shoots; they may be collected in an iron 

 bucket and burned, or dipped into a "steep" made by dis- 

 solving 1 lb. liver of sulphur or 1 lb. bluestone in 10 gallons 

 of water. A spraying mixture should then be made up of 

 1 oz. liver of sulphur to 2 gallons of water, and the affected 



