§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture how many cases of American mildew on gooseberry bushes were reported during the past year; and what 831W means of stamping it out were taken by his Department or by the local authorities?
§ Sir HARRY VERNEYThe number of cases was between eleven and twelve thousand. It must be borne in mind that a very large proportion of these cases occurred in allotments and small private gardens, which may contain only half a832W dozen bushes. On the other hand, large fruit farms are generally subdivided for the purposes of the American Gooseberry Mildew Order, and fifteen or twenty cases may thus be reported on one farm. The method adopted by the Board for controlling the disease is to require the occupier to cut off and burn the mildewed wood before the season when the soil becomes infected.