• AMERICAN <;00*E KERRY-MILDEW AND NEED* FOR LEGISLATION. 129 



have not used any fungicide, for so far as I can learn those recommended 

 are of no use, besides rendering the undamaged portion of the crop 

 practically useless for market purposes. The mildew does not affect the 

 crop or trees to the extent one was led to suppose it would. I find many 

 of the gooseberries attacked seem to recover and ripen, and bear only 

 small scars on their surface as a mark of the disease having been present 

 in their earlier stages." Another correspondent wrote from Killagan, in 

 November 1904 : " I may say that the bushes and berries are not so 

 badly affected this year as in the previous years. This may be due to the 

 fact that I have sprayed for the past three years with liver of sulphur 

 (potassium sulphide), one ounce to two gallons of water, and apply it 

 several times during the season. I destroyed the bushes on which the 

 mildew first appeared, and which were very badly attacked. In my case 

 the 1 Yellow Amber ' variety seems to suffer most ... I am glad to say 

 that the disease was very slight on my bushes this past season (1905). 

 As usual, I sprayed the bushes several times during the early part of the 

 season with the potassium sulphide spray you recommended. I have no 

 hesitation in saying that to this fungicide, and also to the fact of my 

 destroying (several years ago) the worst affected bushes, my success in 

 almost suppressing the disease is to be attributed. There are several 

 qualities of potassium sulphide sold, and it behoves those who intend 

 usiug this fungicide to see that they procure the very best quality. Some 

 of the cheaper qualities are not so effective." From Ballymena the 

 following report was sent : " The disease is increasing ; throughout four 

 plots not a bush is free from it. I know of its occurrence in another large 

 garden near here." Another correspondent writes: "I fear the disease 

 is spreading. I saw it last year in more than one place in Co. Meath, 

 and I have also heard of it from Co. Louth." 



Co. Dublin : Foxrock. — A correspondent wrote in November 1901 : 

 " I am sorry to say that my gooseberries suffered again this year to some 

 extent from the mildew, though perhaps not so much as last year. I 

 sprayed twice with the potassium sulphide spray you recommended, but 

 I think the first spraying was rather late. I had about a dozen to twenty 

 trees affected, though I sprayed them twice during the spring, but the 

 amount of mildew was less than last year. I have now destroyed all 

 the trees which were badly affected, and hope by spraying again next 

 spring to get rid entirely of the disease." 



Co. Westmeath. — The following notes were sent by a correspondent in 

 1901 and 1905 respectively : " I used the f ungicide recommended by you 

 (one ounce of potassium sulphide to two gallons of water) three times in the 

 spring, just before and after the breaking into leaf of the gooseberries, with 

 the result that there was a marked diminution of affected berries and shoots 

 as compared with last year. . . . The mildew was very slight in mv 

 garden this year, and the preventive measures you advised appear to have 

 had an excellent effect. In a garden about three miles from here, which 

 has been neglected for the past few years, it was very bad." 



Co. Doicn. — A correspondent writes from Newtownards : " On making 

 inquiry round my neighbourhood, I find the disease is very prevalent 

 this year (1905), some growers having every bush affected, and the fruit 

 rendered quite unsaleable.*' 



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