554 



■with outside parts, the Horticultural Society there decided to establish 

 a nursery of resistant American vine stocks. This was done, and 

 after 15 years experience with American vines Mildura was still free 

 from the pest. As, however, American vines are far less adaptable 

 to variations in soil than the European varieties, experimental stations 

 should be established in the vine-growing districts of South Austraha. 



It is argued against the introduction of resistant stock that, if 

 future preventive measures are as successful as they have been in 

 the past, there would be no necessity for any change, while the recon- 

 struction of vineyards is a last resource, not to be adojited until all 

 other methods have been exhausted. With regard to the former point, it 

 was contended that the eradication of Phylloxera, once this pest has 

 arrived, has failed in every country, resistant stock giving the only 

 permanent immunity. Of 6,000 methods suggested to the French 

 Govermnent as effective means of coping mtli the pest, only four 

 give any promise of practical value. These are submersion, planting 

 in sand, the use of insecticides and the reconstruction of vineyards 

 on American stocks. The first two were found to have only a very 

 limited value. The use of sulpho-carbonate of potassium oi- annual 

 injections of carbon bisulphide into the earth, were found to check 

 infestation, immense sums having been spent on these methods. In- 

 France, after a period of great decrease in production, it was recognised 

 that reconstruction of the vines was the only solution of the problem. 



The Director of Agriculture, in reply to these arguments, pointed 

 out that in France the introduction of American vines had doubled 

 the expenses of the grower, and, if this method were adopted, it would 

 be the first time that any country had introduced the remedy before 

 the disease was present. He also indicated the danger from downy 

 mildew, which had broken out in Victoria where American stock had 

 been imported. He considered that in South Australia, Avith it& 

 isolated vineyards, so different from those of Europe, it should be 

 possible successfully to combat the pest ; in his opinion the repressive 

 measures undertaken in Victoria had been altogether inadequate and 

 carelessly executed, hence the necessity for resorting to the introduction 

 of American stock. The probable cost of eradication methods did 

 not seem prohibitive in view of the value of the South Australian 

 vineyards. 



After further discussion, the notion was put to the meeting and 

 was declared lost. 



Grain Weevils : a Menace to the Wheat Stacks.^ — Jl. Dept. Agric, 

 S. Australia, Adelaide, xx, no. 12, July 1917, pp. 977-979. 

 [Received 16th October 1917.] 



This paper contains extracts from the first report of the Special 

 Committee appointed by the Commonwealth Advisory Council of 

 Science and Industry to enquire into the possibihty of preventing 

 heavy losses of stored wheat owing to the depredations of grain weevils. 

 This first report deals entirely with the weevils Calandra granaria 

 and C. oryzae, which are the only insects in Australia attacking stored 

 grain and causing depredations serious enough to demand special 

 measures. The manner of infestation, which must occur after the 

 grain is bagged, is discussed, the possibilities being that Aveevils 



