Ivi PROCEEDDirGS OF THE 



as to be classed in the popular mind amongst those varied phenomena 

 collectively designated as blights. That such a change is often the 

 consequence of the transportation of the insect from one country to 

 another may be regarded as more probable if Riley is correct in his 

 belief that in America, as in Europe, introduced insects when once 

 established are more noxious than indigenous ones. In the case of 

 the Phylloxera some clue to the nature of the influencing alteration 

 may be derived from the success attending one of the remedies 

 applied — the inundation and continued submersion of the diseased 

 vineyards during the winter months. The comparative dryness of 

 the soil in the new over that of the original station of the insect has 

 been the change which natural selection seems to have seized upon 

 to effect the extraordinary development of the underground form, 

 aided, perhaps, by some slight attendant change in its constitution. 

 Prolonged, or even temporary inundation^ however, is not practicable 

 in the majority of the south-of-France vineyards, nor, indeed, in any 

 of those producing the best wines. Amongst other remedies, soot 

 (the soot of wood-smoke I presume) promises to be one of the most 

 efficacious applications. 



Amongst the various publications which these phenomena have 

 called forth we may still see cropping up not unfrequently the 

 popular notion that they are blights mysteiiously connected with 

 meteorological conditions, against which it is vain to struggle ; but, 

 fortunately, the need of separately investigating every one of them 

 is becoming generally recognized. In France, Government has ap- 

 pointed special commissions for inquiries into the silk- and vine- 

 diseases. In Genuany the ravages committed by insects on their 

 forests have been the subject of various works, published chiefly 

 under the patronage of the Austrian Government and scientific asso- 

 ciations. In North America Mr. Eiley, as Missouri State entomo- 

 logist, makes annual reports on noxious insects to the Board of 

 Agriculture of that State, pursuant to an appropriation for this 

 purpose from the Legislature*. In Italy a special institution has 

 been formed at Padua, under official patronage, for the study of 

 cryptogamic parasites; and our Royal Horticultural Society is 



* Since writing the above I have seen a proof-sheet of a portion of the 

 forthcoming fourth report of the Missouri State entomologist, Mr. Riley, in which 

 he enters into further details of the history of the Vhylloxera, collected during 

 a recent visit to Europe, as well as from closer observations on the subject made 

 in America, where it appears to be acquiring more serious importance. I have 

 not, however, yet seen enough of the report to learn what further conclusions 

 Mr. Eiley may have arrived at. 



