246 



THE FLOKIST AND POMOLOGIST. 



[ NOVEMBER, 



The engraving represents at fig. a a portion of the upper side of a vine leaf greatly 

 reduced in size, with a number of the gall-like excrescences, also slightly reduced. These 

 excrescences are thickened portions of the leaf, the under-side of each being swollen into a 

 convex shape and entire, the female insect being enclosed within the cell thus formed, the 

 upper surface of the leaf throwing out or splitting into triangular portions, as represented at 

 fig. b. The extremity of one of these portions is turned back so as to show part of 

 the body of the female within the gall, surrounded by its eggs. The full-grown insect 

 (scarcely half a line, or l-30th of an inch in length) is represented on its ventral surface at 

 fig. d; its body is swollen and fleshy, and covered with minute granulations; the antennae (fig. 

 e) are short, composed of only two very small basal joints and a longer apical one, having 

 apparently a very minute setiferous tubercle at its extremity, the long joint appearing under 

 the microscope to be formed of a great number of very short rings; the sucker (fig. f) is 

 distinct, four-jointed, and varying in length. The insect shown at fig. d is a female taken from 

 the leaf-gall, whilst that at fig. c represents one of the females from the root seen sideways. 



-^^^« 



f 



M. Planchon, who has discovered both winged and wingless females, describes 

 the latter as being little ovoid masses, closely applied to the vine roots by their 

 flattened ventral face, the dorsal face being convex. During the first few days 

 after being hatched, the young insects wander about in search of a favourable 

 place to fix themselves, and they generally select an opening in the bark where 

 they can easily dive into the cells of the young juicy tissue. The Phylloxera is 

 distinguished from Aphis by the horizontal position of its wings. Though the 

 winged individuals may serve to extend the range of the destructive pest, yet 

 M. Planchon believes that the wind is the principal dispersing agent, while the 

 wingless individuals are supposed to spread along the surface of the ground to 

 adjacent vines, and then to penetrate to their roots. 



As to remedies, a Bordelaise cultivator, quoted by Les Mondes, recommends a 

 composition containing sea-salt. M. Naudin, in a communication to the Academy 

 of Sciences, suggests the planting along with the vines of certain herbs or bushes, 

 " several times renewed if necessary, until something may be discovered which 

 may attract the insects from the vines," — an experiment which may possibly involve 

 a long series of disappointments. A more speedy cure is reported to the Inclicateur 

 Vinicole, by Dr. Desmartis, in these terms : — " In the vineyard whence I have 

 sent samples of the parasite, there were in the spring 60 stocks attacked with 

 consumption. They were dressed with earth mixed with coal-tar, in the propor- 

 tion of 8 or 10 per cent. Fifty of these have perfectly recovered, and ripened 

 their fruit, five are doubtful, and the rest have succumbed to the malady." Dr. 



