Insects of Interest to Fruit Growers. 77 



«ver, on the majority of our indigenous American vines, its presence results 

 in little or no harm. Even in graperies it may almost invariably be found, 

 but rarely in sufficient numbers to seriously injure the plants. Moreover, 

 in its very worst manifestations, and upon those foreign vines most suscep- 

 tible to its attacks, the vine does not succumb until the third year after the 

 introduction of the insect. The disease in its acute form is well marked by 

 a peculiar yellowing of the leaves, diminished growth, and absence of ten- 

 drils, while the root-system is generally entirely rotten. The presence of 

 the insect in more or less abundance on the fibrous roots is no evidence of 

 injury, but rather an evidence to the contrary, for so long as there are fibrous 

 roots in abundance for it to attack, the injurious stage of the disease, namely, 

 the rotting or decay of the larger roots, can not be initiated, 



"From all these facts, and others that might be mentioned, I do not hesi- 

 tate to say that Mr. Osborn's vines were not injured by the phylloxera, and 

 feel that the digging of them up and casting them aside was the result of 

 false and unjustified fears and imperfect knowledge of the insect. As to 

 whether the insect was introduced from the nursery, or got into the grapery 

 from surrounding vineyards, or was introduced in the sod, the probability 

 as between the first and second suppositions is that it was introduced with 

 the plants; for while the evidence shows that the plants were remarkably 

 healthy, yet, as I have already stated, the insect is everywhere found in those 

 parts of the country from which the vines came. A few of the insects may 

 very probably have been on some of the vines, as they are almost sure to be 

 on such as are two years old. That they were in the new-made soil is ex- 

 tremely improbable, as the insect is confined to the grape-vine, and could 

 only have been thus introduced from soil taken from a vineyard. 



"This is as far as I feel justified in rendering a report from the standpoint 

 of the entomologist. What the real cause of the trouble was I must leave to 

 others, but upon consultation with Mr. William Saunders, the horticulturist 

 of the Department, I find that it is no uncommon thing for vines planted as 

 these were, in very rich, deep borders, to wilt and show evidence of disease 

 in the manner in which the vines in question did, especially where they are 

 kept too moist; so that the probability is that they languished from the char- 

 acter of the soil and of the treatment. This view is supported by a sample 

 of the soil that I brought to Washington for examination, and also by the 

 fact that I saw other potted vines in Mr. Osborn's grapery that had shown 

 similar symptoms, but had not been thrown away, and were still living and 

 pi'omising well. 



"Finally, in the event of the phylloxera becoming numerous enough to 

 cause any injury, it would certainly be unwise to dig the vines up prema- 

 turely where the judicious use of kerosene emulsion or bisulphide of carbon 

 would readily destroy the insects, and could be so easily employed under 

 such circumstances as those surrounding Mr. Osborn's vines. 



"I have the honor to remain, yours respectfully, C. V. Riley. 



" Mr. Fred. W. Kelsey, 208 Broadway, New York City." 



