xlvi PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



roots of various plants, and the wireworms, as soon as they are hatched, 

 begin to feed on the roots. Most of the species live for three or four 

 years in the wireworm state before becoming chrysalides ; they do not 

 remain long in this condition, but soon emerge as perfect beetles. 

 I cannot imagine that pigeon's manure, as suggested, could encourage 

 these insects more than farmyard manure, but it is quite possible that it 

 would not be distasteful to them, as some artificial manures are supposed 

 to be ; there is no manure or insecticide known that will kill them while at 

 the roots of plants without destroying the plants also. Scattering finely 

 broken-up rape cake, a substance they are very fond of, near plants that 

 they are attacking will at times draw them away from a crop, and they 

 may be trapped by burying small pieces of it, or slices of Turnips, Man- 

 golds, or Carrots. The traps should be examined every morning." 



Diseased Peach Leaves. — Mr. Saunders reported on specimens sent 

 by Mrs. Bryans, Harrow-on-the-Hill : — " The Peach leaves are attacked by 

 one of the ' shot -hole ' fungi, Cercospora circumscissa, a very common 

 pest which also infests the leaves of Nectarines, Almonds, Apricots, and 

 Cherries. All the fallen leaves should be collected and burnt, and those 

 which are spotted should be picked off and destroyed before the brown 

 parts fall out, leaving the shot-holes. After all the leaves have fallen, 

 the ground should be turned over beneath the trees, so as to bury any 

 spores which may be on the surface. Next spring spray the trees, just 

 as the leaves are expanding, with a solution of carbonate of copper and 

 ammonia, commonly known as 'cupram,' and afterwards once every ten 

 days or a fortnight if the disease still shows itself." 



Gooseberry Disease. — Dr. Cooke reported upon young twigs, leaves, 

 berries, and a portion of an old branch of Gooseberry received from Brent- 

 wood: — " The disease first appeared last spring, when one of the bushes 

 suddenly wilted and died in one day. At the time it was bearing a splendid 

 crop of fruit. This year, a week since, a branch of another bush suddenly 

 wilted, and was dead the same day. At once it may be stated that, in past 

 experience, no fungus disease acts in this manner so suddenly, and with 

 healthy fruit at the same time. Examination of the leaves, twigs, and fruit 

 shows no trace of fungus disease. The old branch has several tufts of mould 

 on the dead bark, but these tufts evidently are old and of some weeks' 

 growth, most probably revived from a previous year. This mould is 

 either Botrytis cinerea, or a closely allied species, with brown hyphae and 

 subglobose hyaline conidia. In this case the mould is evidently only a 

 saprophyte, and in no way connected with the death of the plant. The 

 mycelium is confined to the dead bark, does not enter the subjacent 

 wood, and does not appear on twigs, leaves, or fruit. The idea must be 

 abandoned that this mould is in any way the cause of the destruction of 

 the bushes, being merely a development on the dead bark, which was in 

 full growth weeks before any manifestation of wilting or disease in the 

 growing plant. 



What, then, is the cause of the sudden failure of the bushes while in 

 full fruit ? The portions examined furnish no clue to the mystery. The 

 cause must therefore be sought either at the roots or in the surrounding 

 circumstances, as there is no trace of disease in the healthy tissues. 



Possibly careful examination of the roots might reveal something, 



