104 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



from articles by several American mycologists treating of the present 

 disease, which show how much this fungus is feared in the United States, 

 and how it constitutes the most serious obstacle to the cultivation there 

 of the European Gooseberry. Prof. S. A. Beach, of the New York 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, who has issued a handbook (see 

 Bibliogr. 2) giving a full and well-illustrated account of the cultivation of 

 Gooseberries in the United States, has kindly supplied me with the 

 following information in response to my inquiry : — " I do not think any 

 one has collected data from which any satisfactory estimate might be 

 made of the economic loss occasioned by the Gooseberry-mildew in the 

 United States. In general it may be said that because of the ravages of 

 this disease, varieties of Bibes Gross ularia are not grown to any con- 

 siderable extent in commercial plantations in this country. Those who 

 have tried them have generally abandoned the attempt. The experiments 

 conducted by this Station have demonstrated that the disease may 

 generally be kept under control by thorough spraying, but this spraying 

 entails an expense which is liable to consume a large share of the profits 

 of the business, if not all of them. You will appreciate this when I tell 

 you that one of the largest canning factories in this State paid in 1902 

 but three cents per pound for Gooseberries for canning purposes. It 

 costs at least one half-cent for picking, to say nothing of the expense for 

 marketing, cultivating, pruning, interest on investment, &c, which must 

 be met before any profit can be realised. When the fruit is sold in the 

 ordinary markets, higher prices are usually obtained ; but when the risks 

 of failure from sun-scald and mildew are* taken into consideration, those 

 who grow Gooseberries usually prefer American varieties like ' Downing,' 

 * Josselyn,' &c. for commercial plantations. It is safe to say that were it 

 not for the danger of loss from attacks of Gooseberry-mildew the 

 European varieties would be largely planted in this country in commercial 

 plantations, but because of the ravages of this disease efforts to grow 

 them on a commercial scale are usually soon abandoned." 



Undoubtedly the first step that should be taken with the object of 

 eradicating the disease in Ireland is the examination by an expert of the 

 nurseries in the affected districts, as the existence of any such nursery 

 gardens containing affected stock must serve as permanent and prolific 

 centres of infection. There is no reason why, if the destruction of the 

 infected stock in nurseries and the burning of diseased bushes in private 

 gardens are carried out, the disease should not be entirely extirpated from 

 Ireland. But the possibility of the complete eradication of the disease 

 diminishes as each year passes, bringing with it the establishment of the 

 mildew in fresh localities. Already the list of affected areas has grown 

 dangerously long, and the agricultural authorities will incur a grave 

 responsibility if they neglect to take prompt and energetic measures to 

 stamp out the disease. 



I enumerate below the localities in Ireland and Russia where the 

 disease now occurs, together with notes on the circumstances attending 

 the outbreaks. 



As regards Ireland, I have received news of the occurrence of i the 

 disease in the following counties. 



Co. Antrim. — Mr. Nixon writes from Whitehall, Ballymena (whence 



