* LORD HARRIS,in asking His Majesty's Government whether they proposed to take any, and, if so, what steps to prevent the introduction of the vegetable disease known as gooseberry mildew into England, said—
§ My Lords, I should not have ventured to occupy even a few brief moments of your Lordships' valuable time but for the fact that those who are interested in our fruit plantations feel that the disease referred to in my Question is one that is likely to cause very serious loss and expense to them, and they are of opinion that the Department of Agriculture is not doing as much as it could and ought to do. An American variety of the disease which, unlike the European variety, is very dangerous, was discovered in Ireland four or five years ago, and Ireland, I am told, is full of it at the present moment. The English blackcurrant bush has been almost exterminated by an extremely minute mite, which produces a disease called "big bud," and fruit-growers in this country are very apprehensive that the same may happen to the gooseberry-bush, and that the English variety of the fruit may practically disappear unless a check is put in some way or other upon the introduction of diseased plants. Action of that kind is taken in other parts of the world. In two of our Colonies diseased fruit is destroyed at the port of importation, and in several 295 Continental countries steps have already been taken to prevent the introduction of the American variety of gooseberry mildew. My informants assure me that though the attention of the Agricultural Department has been drawn to the possibility of the introduction of the disease from Ireland no adequate steps have been taken to prevent it. I see that in a reply given in the other House on the same Question it was stated that the disease had already been found in Worcestershire. I am informed that that is an entire mistake, due to a wrong inference being drawn from an incomplete report. It is also alleged that leaflets on the subjects have been issued to agriculturists. I am told that that is also inaccurate, and that all that has been issued is a leaflet on general subjects with two or three lines added on this particular matter. I beg to put my Question to the noble Earl, and to assure him that the taking of active steps by his Department is the only means by,, which the introduction of this disease into England can be prevented.
§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES (Earl CARRINGTON)My Lords, I believe it is the fact that gooseberry mildew has made its appearance to a great extent within the last three or four years in Ireland with somewhat disastrous results. I was glad to hear the noble Lord say that the report that the disease had broken out in two places in the summer in Worcestershire was not true. We have been unable to verify this, but we were informed that the disease was discovered by Professor Salmon, of Wye College, among the imported stocks in Kent during the last few days. Under the present law, however, the Department has no power to prohibit the importation of diseased stocks, to detain them for inspection, or to seize and destroy them. It is not possible, moreover, to state the quantity or the value of the bushes imported, as they are not separately classified in the customs schedules. We are in communication with the customs authorities as to whether they can see their way to alter the classification so that fruit bushes may be stated separately. The total importation is comparatively small and is in the hands of a few nurserymen. We propose 296 to communicate at once with these firms and to give them a warning of the danger resulting from importing fruit bushes from countries where the disease is known to exist. But the question rests largely with the importers. I need hardly assure your Lordships that the Board will do all in its power to advise the importers of the danger, to trace the source, and to inspect any suspicious consignments that may arrive here. I am afraid that this is all the Department can do.