§ MR. GWYNN (Galway)I beg to ask the Vice-President of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) what steps have been taken under the Order of 1908 against the American gooseberry mildew; what acreage of gooseberry bushes is affected by the pest; and in how many cases definite action has been taken.
§ THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR IRELAND (Mr. T. W. RUSSELL,) Tyrone, E.The Department's horticultural experts (as well as the itinerant instructors in horticulture employed by the county committees of agriculture) have been instructed to carry out inspections of gardens throughout the country with a view to reporting on outbreaks of American gooseberry mildew. This work is being proceeded with at present, but the Department are not yet in a position to state definitely what areas are affected by the disease. In 125 cases in which the existence of the disease has been reported to the Department, notices requiring the destruction of the diseased bushes have been issued to the owners 1666 under Clause 4 (2) of the American Gooseberry Mildew (and Black Currant Mite (Ireland)) Order, 1908. Notices have also been served on fifty-eight persons owning gardens to which it was considered the disease was likely to spread owing to their proximity to affected gardens, requiring them as a preventive measure to spray their bushes (with an approved fungicide). Arrangements have been made for the inspection of gooseberries exposed for sale in fruit markets, and one consignment containing diseased berries was recently condemned in the Dublin market and the berries destroyed.