136 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW- YORK 



by lines of latitude and climate, than ciiaracteristics of soil. Such 

 facts go far to exonerate the soil from at least a leading agency 

 in the production of grape disease. 



2. Climate as affecting the health of the grape. — The 

 grape, whether w^e contemplate the varieties imported from 

 Europe, or our own native sorts, has one general constitution, the 

 difference being very much in favor of the hardiness of American 

 varieties. If we compare the climates of Persia, Greece, Judea, 

 Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, (the seats of its ancient and suc- 

 cessful culture,) or that of California, whither it was carried from 

 Spain, we shall find climates in strong contrast with our own; 

 climates highly characterized by uniformity of summer tempera- 

 ture, and gradual changes in the succession of the seasons. In 

 investigating the effect of climate on the grape I notice : 



a. Coldj wetj fitful weather. — Such weather is ever prejudicial 

 to the vine. In warm, dry tempered seasons, like 1852, but 

 especially in 1854, the grape always exhibits comparatively 

 healthful foliage, and rich fruit. The grape is a half tropical 

 plant, whose climatic sympathies are very much with the melon, 

 tomato, Indian corn, &c., such at least seems to be the character 

 of the wine grape of Europe. (See specific climatic require- 

 ments.) The occurrence of cold, wet, windy weather, at any 

 time between the middle of June and the middle of August, is apt 

 to injure its health, since then the tissues of the plant present 

 the largest amount of half-formed cells and immature juices. 

 Such weather seems to produce a torpor of the elaborating pro- 

 cess; a state of paralysis which speedily results in a deprivation 

 of the nutrimental juices. Hence originate mildews, rusts, &:c., 

 on the leaves, limbs and fruit, which are but the external proofs 

 of the morbid secretions of the plant. These indications are 

 usually preceded by a yellow starved look of the extremities of 

 the vines, and often of the leaves generally. These sudden and 

 extreme alternations of cool and dark weather, with that which 

 was hot, dry and bright, are the marked characteristics of the 

 climate of the United States of America, especially in the 

 northern and northeastern parts. It is worthy of very par- 

 ticular notice that the occurrence of such unsteady weather, in 

 the early spring, before the expansion of the leaves of fruit trees, 

 is always the precursor of the'' curled leaf" in the peach tree, a 



