Grape ^ftylloxera. 233 



of the leaf. These punctures are oftener open than closed. I have seen them in 

 both forms. Where there grows a minute ball, or excrescence, and as it scientifically 

 belongs to the same class of leaf growth as the nut "gall" and other "galls" or 

 roundish growth of leaf or leaf stem, those in Europe call it a " gall." But it is the 

 taste of Americans to use no cant, or set, or awkward terms, either in describing ma- 

 chinery, or anything else ; and hence we shall not accept the term "gall," but speak 

 of the prominences, enlargements, and, if you please, pustules or pits caused by the 

 insect. My observation, now at least fifteen years, on this "gall," pustule, or promi- 

 nence on the leaf is, that very often no minute insect can be found in it. At other 

 times or years, a red mite occupies the cavity of these small enlargements, which are 

 often two, sis or eight, near each other, or are decrete or single, or confluent or many 

 on the leaf, so that the badly infested leaf has pits as of small-pox pustules in the 

 human subject. At other times those balls contain yellow insects, and even of other 

 colors. The reason of this variety of colors I do not know, but it is clearly a fact. 

 •This injury to the leaf I believe docs but little damage comparatively, usually, to 

 the vine, and none or little to its fruit. But it is proof that it is on the vines, when- 

 ever seen. 



The great damage is done to the root, the second form of its injury, which also in 

 midsummer, and later, perhaps at other periods, it does by its feeding especially on 

 the rootlets, where, also, it produces excrescences and other marks. But of this my 

 own observation has not been accurate enough to fully describe it — a matter which 

 has been now fully done by others. As it does its injury to the roots, the roots fur- 

 nish diseased sap, and, as I have said, I believe it accounts for the want of ripening 

 of the canes and fruit at the proper time in the fall. And often frost comes on the 

 wood, leaves and fruit, yet' but half matured. Hence the loads of half ripe grapes 

 that deluge our markets of late years. Hence, too, the bearing wood for the next 

 year enters the winter but poorly prepared for flowering and fruit bearing the next 

 season. Next, in the winter, as seen abundantly in the winter of 1871-2, the vines 

 in January to March crack open ; and as the sap is in feeble supply, the buds of 

 canes, though alive, have not sap enough to open, and they dry up and die as warm 

 weather comes on. Mr. Lander, of the Agricultural Department, spoke to me of 

 this fact several years ago ; and lately. Western propagators from single eyes of cut- 

 tings have described cuttings growing from canes that failed to burst or open their 

 buds in the portion left on the vines. 



As the question now stands, it seems probable that much of the irregular ripening, 

 much of the killing of buds and canes ; perhaps all of the occasional loss of the upper 

 portion of our American vines, and other unaccounted-for injuries, are to be charged 

 to this insect, whose name as Phylloxera, or Pemphagus vitifolia, is scarcely yet 

 known to the mass of vine growers. At any rate, it becomes us all to carefully ob- 

 serve, accurately note and describe its habits and our losses by it. I am favorable 

 to all State and other entomologists, but do not consider it their duty to provide a 

 remedy for every insect ; as I believe, in all cases of a persistent insect, as the cur- 

 culio, and, I fear, Phylloxera, nothing effectual can be done by any one, except on a 

 scale too small to accomplish much. 



