130 
Plant Pests and Legislation. 
advice from Agricultural Colleges, do not, of course, allow any 
other fungicide to be used officially under the Order (though 
growers, of course, are free to experiment with other fluids) ; 
other County Councils, however, have already sanctioned the 
official use of a number of proprietary spray-fluids, in which 
the “ liver of sulphur ” is not freshly mixed , and is only one of 
several constituents. The effect of allowing the use of these 
proprietary fluids, which are more costly and whose properties 
have not been scientifically tested, must tend to stultify the 
working of the Order, and the Order should be altered at once, 
so that the Board of Agriculture alone has the power of choos- 
ing the nature of the fungicide to be used in all compulsory 
spraying. 
We turn now to the consideration of the measures taken 
against the “ Black Scab ” of potatoes in England and in 
Ireland. During 1907 and the early part of 1908, in letters to 
the Press, and in a paper read before the “ Farmers’ Club,” 
I pointed out the urgent necessity of immediate steps being 
taken to prevent the continued spread of “Black Scab” (known 
in this country since 1901), and to prevent the introduction 
into Great Britain of the “ Black Knot ” of the plum and the 
“ Fire Blight ” of the pear. On May 7, 1908, an influential 
deputation, convened by the National Fruit Growers’ Federa- 
tion, was received at the Board of Agriculture. 1 Convinced 
no doubt by the ample evidence brought to them on this 
occasion, the Board of Agriculture in their revised leaflet on 
the “ Black Scab,” have emphasised the danger threatening 
potato-growers in the following words : — “ The disease must be 
treated as a dangerous enemy, which, if neglected, may 
entirely prevent the growth of potatoes. . . . When this 
disease appeal’s it may, if neglected, spread over a farm and 
render the soil useless for potato-growing in the course of a 
few years.” 
On June 18, 1908, the Board issued the “Destructive 
Insects and Pests Order of 1908.” The extent of this Order 
is to make notifiable certain diseases which are mentioned in 
an accompanying schedule. 2 
Beyond including the “ Black Scab ” in the schedule to 
this Order, no legal steps have been taken against this disease. 
The notification of the disease requbed under the Order, and 
the power given to inspectors to search for the disease, though 
1 An account of the proceedings will be found in the Journal of the South 
Eastern Agricultural College (Wye), Vol. XVII.. page 300. 
* Insect) f : The Vine Louse, the San Jos£ Scale, the Mediterranean Fruit- 
fly, the Colorado Beetle, the Large Larch Saw-fly. Fungi. Black Knot, 
White Boot Hot, Black Scab or Warty Disease of Potatoes, the American 
Gooseberry Mildew. It is to be noted in passing that the “ Fire Blight ” of 
the pear is not included. Fruit-growers should press for the inclusion of this. 
