152 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Gomphrena, New Forms of. By Jar. Stuchlik {Beih. Bot. Cent. 

 XXX. Abt. 2, Heft 3, pp. 392-411 ; i pL). — ^The author describes 

 a number of new varieties in this genus and gives the distribution 

 of certain species with critical notes. — G. F. S. E. 



Gooseberry Mildew, American. By E. S. Salmon [Jour. Bd. Agr. 

 vol. XX. No. 12, pp. 1057-1079 ; 2 plates).— The first part of the 

 article describes a number of spraying experiments carried out during 

 1913 at three centres in Kent. The experiments had two main objects : 

 (i) to ascertain at what strength and to what extent lime-sulphur can 

 be used without causing injury ; and (2) to compare the fungicidal 

 action against the mildew of lime-sulphur and liver-of-sulphur. 



Experiment showed that it is unsafe to use sulphur in any form 

 on the variety 'Yellow Rough' (' Golden Drop '), since severe defohation 

 results when either lime-sulphur, liver-of-sulphur, " flowers of sulphur," 

 or iron sulphide is used. The high degree of susceptibility to injury 

 possessed by this variety was clearly illustrated in an experiment in 

 which the soil surrounding some bushes was sprayed with lime-sulphur 

 wash, care being taken that none of the spray touched the bushes. 

 After a few days considerable leaf-fall occurred, owing apparently to 

 the gas (either sulphuretted hydrogen or sulphur dioxide) given off 

 by the lime-sulphur wash when exposed to the air. 



It would appear that ' Freedom ' may safely be sprayed with lime- 

 sulphur at " full strength " (i.e. I'oi sp. gr.) once or twice in May or 

 earlier, but more frequent applications or spraying later in the season 

 will cause a certain amount of leaf-fall. 



' Howard's Lancer ' was sprayed with '' full strength " lime-sulphur 

 on three successive occasions during May and June and no injury 

 resulted, whilst ' Gunner's Seedling ' withstood four, and ' May Duke ' 

 five such sprayings. ' Berry's Early ' was not injured by six successive 

 sprayings given during May, June, and July. 



* Cousin's Seedling,' which appears to be specially liable to severe 

 attacks of the mildew, both on the shoots and the berries, suffered no 

 appreciable injury from " full strength " lime-sulphur though it was 

 used on as many as five successive occasions from May to July. Liver- 

 of-sulphur was also used on a number of bushes of this variety, but it 

 was found under the relative conditions to be quite ineffectual in 

 stopping the spread of the mildew even when used at the rate of 2 oz. 

 to 3 gallons of water. Not only is lime-sulphur the more powerful 

 fungicide, but it has also the great practical advantage over liver- 

 of-sulphur that it is, when once dry on the bush, so remarkably adherent 

 that even heavy rains do not wash it off. In this connexion it is 

 pointed out that if the fruit is covered by a deposit at the time of 

 gathering it is practicable to cleanse the berries before marketing by 

 rinsing them in water. With the more troublesome varieties, such as 

 ' Lancashire Lad,' the end is most easily attained by the use of a form 

 of the Fletcher and Becker Gooseberry Cleaner, which not only cleanses 

 the_berries, but grades them also. 



