I9IO.] SCLEROTINIA DISEASE OF THE GOOSEBERRY. 7 



noticed that many of the berries were turning flabby instead 

 of ripening, and fell to the ground where, after a day or two, 

 they became covered with the same "mould." An examina- 

 tion of the berries showed the presence of Botrytis. Through- 

 out the first fortnight of June the disease continued to spread, 

 and finally the grower was obliged to gather the crop green 

 in order to save those not already attacked. The source of 

 this epidemic became apparent when the grower forwarded 

 examples of the old branches and young wood from these 

 bushes, since, scattered here and there on the surface of these, 

 were numerous vigorous tufts of Botrytis as shown in Figs. 

 2 and 3. These tufts were powdery with enormous numbers 

 of spores, and it was these spores — carried through the bushes 

 by the wind or insects — which constituted a continuous source 

 of infection to the berries. The leaves of these bushes had 

 not yet been attacked, and this made the "blighting" of the 

 berries appear all the more strange, as otherwise there were 

 no signs of disease evident — the tufts of Botrytis on the dying 

 (not dead) branches not being apparent until searched for 

 closely. 



The details in the following case, where the berries were 

 attacked in the plantations of the National Fruit and Cider 

 Institute, Long Ashton, near Bristol, have been supplied by 

 the Director, Mr. B. T. P. Barker: "The bushes have been 

 planted about five years, and are situated between bush 

 apples. During 1908 and 1909 we lost about twenty bushes 

 — out of a total of 750 in our plantations — owing to attacks 

 of the fungus on the main stem. In addition, very many 

 bushes were more or less seriously mutilated by attacks on 

 the branches. In 1908 the foliage suffered seriously; this 

 season the damage in this way has been slight, but the fruit 

 has been attacked. A number of berries were attacked when 

 ripe or nearly ripe ; to all appearance the berries were 

 perfectly sound and undamaged in any way up to the time 

 of attack by the fungus. Not a large proportion of the 

 berries was affected ; it would be very serious if the trouble 

 were to develop, as the fruit is absolutely ruined when 

 attacked. Similar damage has been common in market 

 gardens in this locality." 



Remedies. — The best measures to get rid of the disease 



