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fungi, Avliieh ever seek tlie weak ami feeble plants. This sapping of the vines, 

 too, very likely induces excessive fruiting, as in all organic nature the weak and 

 the feeble are even more prolific, as if, expecting their near demise, they make 

 extra efl'ort to leave descendants that their kind may not be exterminated from 

 the earth. Thus the Phyllexera not only sows the seeds of destruction, but 

 induces a condition in the very habit of the vine that renders these seeds more 

 sure to germinate. 



Tiiat the Phylloxera vastatrix is, at least in some cases, the primal cause of 

 black-rot, seems evident from tiie fact that their presence or absence is sure in- 

 dication of the presence or absence of the disease. Vines — entire vineyards 

 indeed — where there is an entire freedom from the pest, show no signs of rot. 



Of cour.-c, I would not presume to say that black -rot never occurs, except as 

 a sequence of the enervating attack of the Phylloxera. As tltey cause it 

 indirectly by depleting the vitality of the vines, so what ever takes from their 

 vigor may induce rot. Yet we have good reason, I think, to prefer strong 

 charges against this minute yet jiowerful destroyer. 



In Ohio, such admirable authorities as Messrs. Campbell, High, and Secretary 

 Batcham, while all feel that the Phylloxera is at times a serious injury to our 

 American grape vines, still question the statement that they cause the rot. 

 These gentlemen think they have seen rot where there were too fevr Phylloxera 

 to account for it. They say that the black-rot almost invariably succeeds a 

 very humid atmosphere with great heat. So they ascribe the black-rot to 

 atmospheric causes. vStill, wc have reliable testimony that this malady has 

 attacked lona vines — a feeble variety, and one most liable to attack from 

 Phylloxera — and sometimes others, when such atmospheric conditions were not 

 present. It may be possible, and there is some reason for the belief, that the 

 immediate cause of the rot is fungus attack, II: this be true, then surely the 

 Phvlloxera, by drinking up the vigor of the vines and lessoning the vital force 

 in the fruit, are just preparing the soil for the noxious, microscopic plants, and 

 the hot, moist atmosphere is just furnishing the conditions amidst which such 

 vegetable growths luxuriate. But the failure of the rot in many vineyards, and 

 those too of regions where the rot abounds, argues that there is still a predis- 

 posing cause. 



But some will ask, indeed, many have already asked, Is not the vine lirst sick 

 from other cause, and does not the attack of the insect follow as a result of this 

 prcindisposition of the plant? I answer that there is no good reiison for such 

 an opinion. Wherever this Phylloxera has committed its terrible havoc, the 

 strong no less than the weak vines have been made to pale and die. xlgain, 

 there is often such a similarity in habits among all the members of the same 

 family of animals, that we may reason with strong force from one to another. 

 Now, every entomologist, as well as every observing pomologist, knows that it 

 is not the custom of any of the family Aphidce, or plant lice, to attack the 

 w^eak plant or tree. The very strongest cherry tree, willow, or even dock, will 

 suffer attack, and soon be fairly alive Avith the peculiar aphides that essay to 

 suck out their very life juice, and the very first season, will almost perish as a 

 result of the attack. Yet, the very next season, when, if the above theory were 

 correct, we should expect a sure return of the pests, and as sure death to our 

 choice fruit and shade trees, we find our favorites entirely rid of the fell 

 destroyers. I have frequently noticed this with our willows, both native and 

 exotic, and who of you have not noticed it in case of thrifty young fruit trees? 

 It is the most thrifty plants, as well ;ts the sickly ones tliat suffer from tliis 



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