THE AMERICAN GOOSEBERRY-MILDEW IN EUROPE. 10-; 



the disease was first reported for Europe in 1900), with reference to. the 

 occurrence of the disease in the season of 1903 : " 1 had a failure in crop 

 this last season as far as berries were concerned, but those which appeared 

 were just as badly affected with mildew as in previous years. I sprayed 

 according to your directions, but could not find time to continue it 

 through the busy season. I have not the least doubt that had I con- 

 tinued the treatment it would have been successful." 



At Antrim, also, where the disease was reported in 1902, it has 

 reappeared. The owner of the garden, writing on June 17, reported : 

 " The mildew is spreading amongst my trees here very rapidly. I have 

 seen it in several gardens besides my own, and it has invariably appeared 

 on the berries first. The mildew occurred last year, I understand, at 

 Aghadoey, Co. Derry, and at Lissanoure, Co. Antrim. On thinking over 

 the probable means of its introduction into Ireland from America, I 

 would say that it probably came with Koses to the nursery gardens, for 

 I understand new kinds are introduced from America." 



The disease has appeared also in a garden at Killagan, Co. Antrim. 

 The owner of the garden, writing on August 6, sent me the following 

 information : " I have noticed the disease for the past four years. As far 

 as I know there are no American varieties of Gooseberries grown in my 

 garden. I grow about one acre of Gooseberries, and there are signs of 

 the disease on most of the bushes. All varieties suffer, but the ' Yellow 

 Amber ' variety suffers most. Most of my bushes are ' Crown Bob ' 

 and ' Whinham's Industry.' The damage done to the crop of fruit is 

 considerable. The fungus attacks the berries first, and then spreads to 

 the leaves and tender young shoots. The bushes are from ten to three 

 years old ; the disease is quite as bad on the young bushes as on the old 

 ones. The soil of the garden is heavy and damp ; the aspect is south- 

 east. I have carefully sprayed the bushes last season and during the 

 present season with potassium sulphide (1 oz. to 2 gallons of water) as 

 you have recommended. Last season the spraying did not appear to do 

 any good. This season 1 have reason to believe that the disease was 

 slightly checked by the spraying, the number of berries and bushes attacked 

 having been very much less than last year. I have observed, too, that this 

 year the bushes have made strong and large young growths of new wood, 

 whereas last year they did not. I am thinking of spraying the bushes 

 during the winter with Bordeaux mixture, as I believe this might kill the 

 fungus which lives on the young wood through the winter months. I under- 

 stand the disease is now more or less prevalent throughout Co. Antrim." 



Co. Derry. — At Coleraine the disease, noted first in 1902, again 

 appeared. On June 8 green berries invested with the mycelium of the 

 fungus were sent to me. The mycelium was for the most part white, but 

 here and there bore patches of a brownish colour. Young perithecia 

 occurred among the hyphae at these places. 



The mildew has appeared also in a garden at Castledawson, where it 

 was first noticed in 1902. Here the varieties attacked were ' Whinham's 

 Industry,' ' Warrington,' 'Amber,' and ' Golden Lion,' and one half of the 

 crop was destroyed. The disease was noticed to attack the berries most 

 when they were half grown. The gooseberry- bushes in this garden are 

 spur-pruned every winter to about three buds. 



