﻿100 SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT 



State — notwithstanding the fact that the Catawba and many other of 

 the more susceptible vines did better than usual ; the injury from Phyl- 

 loxera was often quite apparent in the Fall, and I know of a four-year 

 old Goethe vineyard in St Louis county which gave great promise a 

 year ago but which had about succumbed in September ; half the vines 

 being at the point of death, and most of them showing the acute 

 symptoms, with the finer roots all wasted away and the larger ones 

 covered with the lice, as completely as is usual with European vines. 

 Such facts serve to show that the insect is by no means destroyed even 

 where, as in 1874, it is with difficulty found in early Spring. Here, 

 therefore, let me reiterate, what cannot too often be repeated, that 

 while only very careful search will detect the insect at the awakening 

 of Spring, and its presence is best indicated by the swollen and rotting 

 roots wherever it has been at work ; yet it multiplies so rapidly that 

 in midsummer and Autumn> casual examination will generally reveal 

 it in great numbers on infested vines. I wish to impress this fact for 

 the simple reason that in several instances where correspondents re- 

 ported no trace of Phylloxera on their vines last Spring, I subsequently 

 showed them abundant evidence of its presence, evidence which at 

 once dispelled their skepticism. While my observations were con- 

 fined for the most part to our own State, and more especially to St. 

 Louis county, the following valuable letter of experience will show 

 that intelligent grape-growers are recognizing its work in other States : 



My Dear Sir : I beg you will pardon my tardy acknowledgment of your polite 

 attention in sending me your very interesting, and, I may say, almost exhaustive 

 report upon tiie Grape Piij^Uoxei-a. Although I have been, in a casual way, observing 

 the leaf-infesting form of this Aphid since 18G1, I find much that is new to* me in your 

 paper; but I am obliged to say, so far as my observations have extended, that they 

 accord almost identically with yours. I did not then even suspect the presence of the 

 root-louse ; not indeed until I had seen some account of your investigations. * * * 

 From the increase of its insect-enemies, or from some other cause, the gall-louse has 

 entirely disappeared from this section, and vines formerly infested are now wholly 

 exempt. I wish 1 could say as much for the root-louse. I hardly think the latter 

 increasing, but he certainly seems to " hold his own." I have one vine, a seedling from 

 Concord, which I call "Lady," a white variety, which, so far, has been entirely exempt 

 from its attacks. From its parentage, I should expect it successfully to resist serious 

 injury, but not to enjoy exemption. Either from some native hardiness, or because it 

 is not entirely to its taste, I have found Concord not injured much even when infested, 

 and only the small, fibrous roots attacked. To a considerable extent, Hartford, Ives, 

 Telegraph, and this class of vines seem able to resist and overcome the attacks of the 

 root-louse, when the various kinds known us "hybrids" succumb, as well as lona, 

 Catawba, and others of that class. I am well satisfied this root-louse is the most serious 

 of all the enemies the grape-grower has to contend with, and I believe it has been thi 

 cause of many failures which seemed unaccountable. As a matter of curiosity, I wil 

 send you copy of a letter to the iV. F. Tribune in 1863. 



Truly yours, 



GEO. W. CAMPBELL. 



Delaware, Ohio, December 23, 1874. 



The letter to the JV. T. Tribune^ referred to by Mr. Campbell, and 

 written in 1863, gives an interesting account of the gall-inhabiting 

 type, and its effect on the leaves. 



