500 The Mildew and the Rot in the Grape. [November, 



examined under the microscope is found to consist of countless little 

 plants, and a few hours suffice for the production — according to the 

 quantity of fluid, and degree of temperature — of myriads of them. 

 It has been calculated that a single cubic inch of such yeast is com- 

 posed of 1,152,000,000, eleven hundred and fifty two millions of 

 plants (Schleiden). 



The various conjectural causes that have heretofore been assigned 

 for the production of these maladies in the grape — such as a want 

 of proper elements in the soil — accumulation of too much moisture 

 about the roots — too close planting — too deep planting and remov- 

 ing the surface roots — too much wood and foliage upon the vine — 

 cold changes of atmosphere checking the circulation of sap — -poi- 

 sonous gases exhaling from the ground, etc., etc., — has led to much 

 empyricism in the viae culture, and caused many expensive and 

 useless experiments to remove causes that do not exist. 



From observations made during an experience in the grape culture 

 for the last fifteen years, especially the season just past, we had 

 arrived at the firm conviction that the particular modes of preparing 

 the grounds, planting or training, would secure the crop from the 

 maladies above named, as we have often seen the disease in question 

 in an aggravated form, in some seasons under all the various modes 

 of culture to which the vine has been subjected. This conclusion has 

 been strengthened by a recent visit to the numerous Vineyards in 

 Missouri in the neighborhood of Herman. The vineyards at that 

 place have been established by an intelligent and enterprizing class 

 of Germans, on a very favorable soil and generally in a very 

 thorougff manner, the ground well trenched, and the vines in almost 

 every instance planted six feet apart each way and trained on trell- 

 esses, and the ground thoroughly cultivated. For the three years 

 previous to the present, the crop there has proved almost an entire 

 failure in consequence of mildew and rot, except in certain favor- 

 able localities, as is the case in this vicinity. The present season 

 with the same uniform treatment, they are favored with the most 

 abundant and perfect crop of grapes that I have ever witnessed — no 

 mildew, no rot, nor any apparent disease whatever. 



The remote cause of mildew and rot can not be traced to any par- 

 ticular mode of planting or training, but can always be traced to 

 that peculiar warm and damp state of the atmosphere prevailing at 

 a time when the vine has just shed its blossoms and the grapes have 



