322 Report oF THE HoRTICULTURIST OF THE 
may not injure the fruit at all, or only slightly deform it. In a bad 
attack the fruit has a repulsive appearance, is stunted in develop- 
ment, and may be more or less decayed. 
Two or three weeks after the mildew attacks the fruit it appears 
on the young, tender twigs, especially on their tips. If the attack 
is severe the new growth will be destroyed and the older growth 
will be considerably injured. In case of a very severe attack the 
fruit will be rendered worthless, and the foliage will be nearly, or 
entirely, killed during July. As a result no fruit buds are set 
for the next year’s crop, and the bushes are so badly weakened 
that they may suffer from winter injury. In a few commercial 
plantations where little or no spraying has been done the writer 
has seen the crop of fruit destroyed and the bushes practically 
ruined by this disease. In other plantations where spraying was 
carefully done the greater part of the crop was saved, the foliage 
remained in good condition and fruit buds were set for a succeed- 
ing crop. The extent to which mildew can be prevented by 
spraying depends upon weather conditions and location. In a 
wet season like that of 1898 it flourishes abundantly and is difficult 
to control. The disease, as already stated, usually obtains a foot- 
hold on the lower parts of the bushes where the shade is dense. 
These parts are very difficult to reach thoroughly with spray 
solutions, and in a year when the other conditions favor the spread 
of the fungus, are liable to harbor more or less of the disease 
unless the greatest care and thoroughness are used in spraying. 
In a dry season like the present one mildew can be almost entirely 
prevented by thorough use of fungicides. On uneven ground 
the higher parts of a plantation seem to be less subject to the 
disease than the lower parts. ‘The best location seems to be one 
well elevated, with a gradual slope affording good air drainage. 
In view of the destructive character of gooseberry mildew and 
its economic importance in all parts of America where gooseber- 
ries are grown, either for home use or for market, it was decided 
to undertake experiments in treating the disease on a commercial 
scale. The object of the experiments was to compare the potas- 
sium sulphide treatment with treatments with other fungicides 
