HC Deb 13 July 1908 vol 192 cc413-4
MR. ROWLANDS

I beg to ask the hon. Member for South Somerset, as representing the President of the Board of Agriculture, what is the total number of outbreaks of American gooseberry mildew which have beer investigated by the Board of Agricultures under the Destructive Insects and Pests Act up to April last; the number of cases where the mildew has reappeared this summer in the affected plantations in the infectious summer stage; and whether in these cases, the plantations in question had been certified by the Board's inspector as being properly pruned according to the requirements of the Board's order.

THE TREASURER OF THE HOUSEHOLD (Sir EDWARD STRACHEY) Somersetshire, S.

706 outbreaks of American gooseberry mildew wore investigated by the Board's inspectors up to the end of April last. 131 cases in the summer stage have been reported. The inspectors report to the Board in every case that all visible disease has been removed by pruning, but inasmuch as they cannot always be present when the pruning is carried out they do not certify that it has been carried out in accordance with the Order.