686 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Nov.. 1917. 



week later (7tli February) the disease was found in vineyards near 

 tie river a couple of miles below "Wabsinnyah, and on tbe following day 

 in a vineyard on tbe bill top, a mile smitb of Kutherglen. It was fur- 

 ther found at Fairfield on 16tb February, and at sucb fairly remote 

 localities as Milawa (28th February), Barnawartha (1st March), and 

 Glenrowan (12tb March). A week later the Government Pathologist 

 visited Kutherglen; examination in sifu absolutely corroborated pre- 

 vious laboratory diagnoses, leaving no possible doubt as to the identity 

 of the fungus. 



Except in the vineyards along the Murray, the fungus was very 

 little in evidence; in many cases it was only after careful .search that 

 characteristic specimens could be found. This was particularly so at 

 Fairfield; though odd leaves here and there showed suspicious brown 

 spots, it was only in one small portion of the vineyard, near a dam, 

 that these bore any white down underneath; even here, very few such 

 leaves were to be found. 



At the Viticultural Station, though very scarce at first, the fungus 

 increased somewhat later on in the season, and by 15th April, when the 

 annual Field Day was held, specimens were sufHeiently numerous to 

 familiarize visitors with the outward appearance of the disease. They 

 were, however, practically confined to the two rows of the collection 

 (Viniferas) nearest to a large open drain. Though no water was pre- 

 sent in this, except immediately after rain, it evidently increased atmo- 

 spheric moisture sufiiciently to permit contamination which was prac- 

 tically impossible in the rest of the vineyard. 



From the above it will be seen that the fungus suddenly made its 

 appearance throughout an area of country of several hundred square 

 miles. The Viticultural Station is 10 miles from the Wahgunyah ISTur- 

 sery, whilst Barnawartha, Milawa, and Glenrowan are respectively, and 

 as the crow flies, 12 miles east-south-east, 28 miles south, and 24 miles 

 south-south-west of Kutherglen. The Wahgunyah Nursery is 7 miles 

 west-north-west from Kutherglen. Though they were not observed until 

 somewhat later, the more remote outbreaks must have commenced simul- 

 taneously with those at Kutherglen. 



The outbreak generally was of a very mild nature ; no damage was 

 done, and the fungus was not sufficiently in evidence, at least in any of 

 the vineyai'ds affected, to cau.se ajiprehension, or to lead to spraying 

 being recommended. In the case of an earlier visitation, treatment 

 might have been advisable; but in February, when the grapes are about 

 to change colour, bunch contamination could no longer occur, and unless 

 abundant wann rains were to fall, there was no reason to fear whole- 

 sale dropping of the leaves, which is so fruitful of damage in Europe. 



At the nursery things were somewhat different; and as early as 1st 

 February the urgent need for immediate spraying was evident. One 

 application, however, sufficed to save the foliage and enabled the young 

 grafted vines to properly mature their canes, even on the worst affected 

 blocks. Though generally present throughout the nursery, some blocks 

 were much more affected than others, no doubt owing to irrigation 

 having taken place at such an interval after a shower of rain as to 

 increase what is termed in France the " receptivity " of the young vines; 

 in other words, the facility for contamination by the fungus. 



This much greater susceptibility of young nursery vines is no doubt 

 due to plentiful moisture resulting from the frequent but indispensable 



