MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 123 



imperfect dovelopnient of both wood and fruit must follow. I have observed 

 that the black rot invariably accompanies and follows mildew. Li my opinion 

 any cause that will impair the vitality of the vine will develop black rot. 



The first thing to do then, is to stop the ravages of mildew. How? AV'ith 

 the proper application of flowers of sulphur, of course. Friend Carpenter, of 

 Kelley's Island, says "'No doubt this will do the work if we know just when 

 to apply it." My answer is to all, keep it on the vineyard all the time. When 

 the weather is at all threatening, that is, hot and moist, or when it comes off 

 hot and close, after a rain, the application should be made. The fact is, if 

 one does not keep sulphur present in the vineyard or on the vines all the time, 

 he is sure to be-caught. My rule is to sulphur every two weeks, commencing 

 one to five davs before the vines come in blossom, and continue throusfh the 

 season into September. 



I use the pure flowers of sulphur ; the most of the so-called flour sulphur sold in 

 the market is ground brimstone, one may just as well blow sand in his vineyard. 

 I mix the sulphur with land plaster ground extra fine, \ sulphur to f plaster, 

 then apply with a bellows of large size. I can s^^read. sulphur on five acres a 

 day. 1 do not use the sulphur clear for the reason that the sulphuric acid in 

 the sulphur is injurious to the foliage, the alkali of the plaster neutralizes the 

 acid ; the plaster is, also, a benefit to the vine. Sulphur is an enemy to all the 

 insect family; drives away the thrips, which are a great nuisance. 



GRAPE VINE CULTURE AND GRAPE ROT. 



BY THOMAS TAYLOK, MICROSCOPIST UXITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 



AGRICULTURE. 



On the 10th of September, 187?, the grape growers of New Jersey, particu- 

 larly of Vineland, Egg Harbor, and Hammonton, requested the Hon. William 

 G-. LeDuc, Commissioner of Agriculture, to send the microscopist of the 

 department to that State to make investigations relating to the cause or causes 

 of grape rot. 



In accordance with the instructions from the Commissioner, I proceeded to 

 the above named places and commenced my investigation on the 11th of the 

 same month at Vineland. The vineyards in that locality generally consist of 

 ,only a few acres. I visited first that of J. E. Smith, Esq., consisting of two 

 acres of Concords six years old. Mr. Smith stated that the previous year only 

 a few berries rotted on his vines, while in 1877 one-third rotted. I examined 

 a number of the roots of these vines and found them in a bad condition, two- 

 thirds of the fine rootlets were rotting, one-third were fresh and of a white 

 color, but all such were suffering from attacks of phylloxera. The soil is a 

 sandy loam. The vines were trellised on low frames, and unusually closely 

 planted. 



I next visited the vineyard of Cf. T. Ellis, which consisted of about five 

 hundred vines ten years of age. One-half of his grapes rotted. In the last 

 week of June the berries began to rot while yet small and green. The Con- 

 cords rotted very badly during the latter part of July. Mr. Ellis stated that 

 rain fell everyday during the the whole of the last week of that month, accom- 



