350 
Keport of the Botanist of the 
fungus which had become brown, however, was proof against the 
application, having no appearance of being affected in the slightest 
degree. Obviously it was impossible on this account to rid the plants 
of the parasite, and while the fungicide did much to mitigate the evil, 
it did not eradicate it. 
Enough was accomplished, however, to show that, if taken in time, 
gooseberries may be kept entirely free of mildew by a proper applica- 
tion of sulphide of potassium in solution, and without the slightest 
detriment to the foliage or fruit. 
Pear Scab. — The good results which have appeared to follow the 
use of hyposulphite of soda for pear and apple scab in the hands of 
Mr. Goff, as detailed in former reports of this Station, suggested the 
use of sulphide of potassium in the same way, as probably having 
stronger fungicidal properties and less likely to injure the foliage. 
The solutiou of the strength of one-half ounce of the sulphide to a 
gallon of water was spra} r ed upon half the top of a vigorous fruiting 
tree of each of three varieties of pear — Flemish Beauty, Seckel and 
Mt. Vernon. Both fruit and leaves of the first and second of these 
have in former years been badly disfigured and injured by the scab or 
rust (Fusicladium pyrinum).* Applications were made on May 25, 
June 1, 4, 20 and 27. The fungus did not, however, appear on either 
the unsprayed or the sprayed parts in harmful quantity, probably 
because of the comparatively dry weather; and the fruit having 
passed the period of growth most susceptible to attack of the fungus, 
the experiment was given over, without having reached any result 
more important than that the application does not injure or in any 
way affect the green or other parts of the tree. 
Diseases of Plum Leaves.~The premature falling of the leaves of 
plum trees, as described on another page of this report, is a suffi- 
ciently serious malady in this locality, and doubtless elsewhere, to 
make a remedy, if only a partial one, desirable. 
Two rows thirty feet long of three-year-old trees in the midst of 
nursery stock, kindly placed at my disposal by the owner, Mr. William 
Smith, were sprayed at the same time and in the same manner as the 
pear trees mentioned above. 
But faint results were observable at the time of the last spraying 
the last of June, the fungus not having appeared in sufficient quan- 
tity to be conspicuous, but in July and even as late as the last of 
August, the difference between the sprayed and unsprayed trees was 
* For a description of the fungus and its effect see Third Annual Rep. N. 
Y. Agric. Exp. Station, 1884, p. 367. 
