AMERICAN GRAPES, AND THE LONDON GARDENERS' CURONICLE. 



"•lass, exccptiiifi^ in those cliin;itos which liave proloiifrcd and steady heat, with tlic 

 af't(M' i)art dry, and free from damp fo_u,s or rain ; while the latter are invariably 

 enfeebled by the same method. The cellular formation and action are not the 

 same, hence the disagreement ; consequently, if uninterrupted vijror, which is 

 most necessary in this case, is required, each class ought to be on its own roots, 

 or grafted on to one of its own species. If the two are to bq amalgamated, it 

 must be by hybridizing the European with our natives, when the probaljility will 

 be, a hardier habit in the future i)rogeny. With the facts as they are before us, 

 the experiment is only a retrograde movement that has been ignorantly attempted. 

 It is not long since that we were accused of "confusion" as to a knowledge of 

 the I^uropean grape mildew, but in the means of i)revention, and likewise the 

 cause, which are more important parts of the subject, I rather suspect that we are 

 better posted-up than either Dr. Lindley or many of the Eastern cultivators. "We 

 well know that, were it not for the extreme saturation of the atniosi)liere with 

 which we are so frequently troubled during midsummer, mildew would do little 

 harm, and also, that if we can get an approach towards maturity previous to the 

 time of attack, w^e are comparatively safe. This explains why the earliest varie- 

 ties of the exotics succeed best here, and why it was, during the past summer, in 

 many places, Black Uamburg and other sorts were so good in the open air. 



Dr. Lindley iufers that this destructive pest is on the decrease, notwithstanding 

 the many statements to the contrary. Very probably it may be so, or is likely to 

 so happen hereafter; for, from our experience in other epidemics of a similar 

 cliaracter, and under the same circumstances, it will have its time, and finally die 

 out, in those climates, at least, where it is only a casual visitor. 



The doctor, in speaking of these European Americanized vines, speculates thus : 

 " Even here the result was not quite so unsatisfactory, as would appear from the 

 Times.''^ And, further on, of the European kinds : " It has also been remarked, 

 this year, that in the Douro wine districts, although the Oidium appeared in June, 

 and apparently 'paralyzed the vines,' yet, after the fourth day, they recovered, and 

 vegetation proceeded with renewed vigor, 'leaves and wood increasing in quantity 

 and strength in proportion as the grapes withered and dropped off.' " In another 

 place, mentioning a trial with cuttings, from English hothouses, that were grafted 

 upon Portuguese roots, he says: "Until June" they "were green and beautiful. 

 But what was very curious, wherever among them indications of fruit appeared, it 

 was speedily stopped by the Oidium, which, however, did not extend to the vines." 

 " It is impossible not to regard these as favorable symptoms, indicating that the 

 virulence of the vine disease is passing away even from the West of Europe." 



May it prove so, but is it not very reasonable to suppose that the peculiar state 

 of the weather during the last summer, has had something to do with all this ? 

 So far as I have been able to find out, there has been a great lack of meteorolo- 

 gical observation, in this case, on the part of European physiologists, which is 

 somewhat strange, at the present day, when it is so well known how mnch the 

 different states of the atmosphere affect fungoid vegetation. There need be no 

 more convincing proof of this than a knowledge of the fact that, during close and 

 "muggy" weather, the disease is increased, while a dry and clear atmosphere 

 arrests it. One would suppose, too, that more experience would have been gained 

 with regard to specific or artificial remedies, if any such did exist, yet we find 

 nearly the same paucity of information. Sulphur has been tried in a few cases, 

 and, also, hydrosulphate of lime, but they seem to depend more upon the actual 

 contact of the material than the fumes emanating from it, which, during increased 

 heat from the sun, or otherwise, will impregnate the surrounding air to a con- 

 siderable extent, and thus nullify the exact requirements of all such parasites as 



