200 MISSOURI STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIEIT, 



Now anyone who knows how some of our finest grapes, the Dela- 

 ware, for instance, suffer from the mildew in unfavorable seasons, how 

 in many sections they cannot be grown at all for this reason, will ap- 

 preciate the high value of this^discovery of a simple'and practical rem- 

 edy, and its importance if it should prove equally efficacious here- 

 The Delaware is not only very rarely subject to rot, while it is very 

 susceptible to mildew, but doubtless if we could conquer the latter it 

 would prove one of our most valuable and profitable grapes to grow. 

 But I have strong hope that this lime treatment may also prove of 

 great service as a preventive aganst the grape rot, and if such should 

 really be the case, it would be the greatest boo;i for our Araerican 

 grape culture. 



We propose to make thorough experiments with it next season, 

 and I would strongly urge upon all of you who are interested in the 

 grape, and who may have suffered in your vines from the ravages of 

 mildew and rot, to give the new remedies a fair trial, remembering, 

 however, that the efficiency any remedy depends entirely upon its 

 timely and through application. Life and health permitting, I^hope 

 we may be' able to compare notes, and report favoriible results at the 

 time of our next annual winter meeting. 



Let us not despair of grape culture, because of a few consecutive 

 years of failure of some varieties, but let us take an example rather of 

 courage, energy and perseverance displayed by the people of the old 

 world, where the grape forms the principal source of revenue for such 

 large extents of country. 



Forty 5'ears ago they were ravaged by the Oidium^ the European 

 grape mildew, which swept all over southern Europe, and soon reduced 

 the grape crops to a minimum, but they persevered, and finally, with 

 the discovery of the sulphur remedy, they conquered this foe. Hardly 

 had they recuperated and begun to feel secure again in their favorite 

 crop, when the Phylloxera came and utterly destroyed hundreds of 

 thousands of acres of the finest vineyards in the world. Undaunted by" 

 this they renewed the fight, and by the use of American resistant 

 stalks they overcame the evil effects of the Phylloxera. 



While still struggling with the insect, the Perejiospora appeared 

 and ravaged southern Europe from Spain to Italy, crossing the Medi- 

 terranean even into Africa to the newly established vineyards of 

 Algiers. Now, by means^of these before mentioned remedies they see 

 their way to victory, also over the latest enemy of their cherished 

 grape. 



If we look at wha:) they have overcome, we cannot help but to ad- 

 mire those people, but we must also profit by their example, and with 



