TOMATO DISEASE IN GUERNSEY. 
15 
is not successful the removal of the diseased plants will succeed 
in stopping the evil. 
The second of the diseases of lesser importance which I 
mention in passing is one to which the Guernsey grower has 
given the name of " black stripe," because it shows itself as a 
black stripe upon the stem of the Tomato plant. It is a 
brand." The exact species has not so far been determined.* 
It is of recent introduction, and has probably taken to the 
Tomato as a host since its culture in glass houses. The re- 
moval of the diseased plants is in this case the only successful 
means of dealing with this disease. 
I come now to the disease, the disease of chief importance to 
which I alluded above : it is also caused by a parasite, which I am 
sorry to say that I am not able to identify, nor am I aware that any 
experts have worked at it at all. It may exist elsewhere ; but, if 
so, I have not yet seen any scientific description of it. It must 
be thoroughly understood that in rendering the following 
account of my own work upon it I am not posing as a fungo- 
logist. I certainly have made myself acquainted with a few of 
our local plant diseases, with a desire to help the growers, but 
being in full employment, and, in fact, a very busy man, I have 
been unable to devote the necessary time to exhaustively study 
either the diseases I meet with in particular or the fungi in 
general. Under these circumstances it must be understood that 
I am more than usually open to correction, and, indeed, if I am 
found to be wrong in any (or all) of my conclusions, I would 
still be pleased to find that this paper had been the means of 
opening up the subject to experts, and thus have had some in- 
fluence in obtaining a clearer insight into these obscure pests. 
This disease, which I look upon as the most fatal of all 
parasitical pests, is termed by our growers the " sleeping 
disease," and the great difficulty with it is that when first it 
is recognised it is too late to adopt any means of cure. In fact 
the first outward appearance shows that the death sentence has 
already been passed. In a few cases the plants have been so 
benefited as to appear cured, but I think I can safely say that 
these are most rare. 
* Since the above was written the disease has been described under the 
name of Macrospormm tomati {Journal of Horticulture., May 30, 1895, 
p. 481). 
