98 DISEASES AND INJURIES OF THE GRAPE VINE. 



will cause rust to a certainty, and so also will sulphur when applied to 

 hot pipes, as is frequently done in order to destroy red-spider. It is 

 good judgment, therefore, to avoid the use of sulphur whilst the 

 berries are very young and tender. Later on the skin becomes more 

 hardened and is not so easily injured. 



Spot, fig. 38. In some cases this appears to be constitutional, or, 

 at all events, some varieties of Grapes are much more subject to this 

 evil than others. It may be noted that where it is regarded as- 

 " constitutional," the connection between the affected parts and the 

 seeds and axis of the berry may be traced ; in other cases it is more 

 superficial and apparently accidental, or the result of bad health- 

 It is sudden in its action and sometimes very injurious. Muscats are, 

 perhaps, more subject to spot than any other class of Grapes. On its- 

 first appearance, which is when the Grapes are young, tender, and 

 swelling fast, a small, irregular, whitish mark is seen on the side of 

 the berry, as if it had been bruised in some way ; the pulp beneath 

 dries up and a sort of contraction occurs, the berry soon assuming a 

 one-sided irregular form, such as is represented in fig. 38. In cases- 

 where the berries are much affected they should be cut out. 



By some cultivators the spot is believed to be caused by sudden 

 chills, such as having the house very close and moist, and then 

 suddenly, on some bright morning, admitting the external cold air too- 

 freely and too abundantly. 



Scalding. This is a term applied to Grapes which appear as if they 

 had been scalded * it generally occurs when the berries are about 

 half grown. Sometimes it is but a few berries here and there which are 

 affected, but frequently the entire side of the bunch is damaged, and 

 we have seen cases of nearly the entire crop being lost, the berries 

 being completely destroyed, as if scalded or parboiled. ThivS is 

 caused through late or imperfect ventilation on some bright sunny 

 morning, whilst the internal atmosphere, and even the berries, are- 

 saturated with moisture. The varieties most subject to this affection 

 are Muscat of Alexandria and Lady Downe's Seedling. 



Warts on the Leaves. These are merely small green excrescences 

 that form on the back of the leaves, a sort of granulation or extravasa- 

 tion of sap through the skin of the leaf ; they are injurious to the- 

 leavcs, no doubt, as affecting respiration, etc., and are the outcome of 

 some fit of ill-health on the part of the Vine. The affection may be 

 caused by a too close warm, atmosphere saturated with moisture. A 

 Vine badly affected by it is a long time in recovering. 



Bleeding. This is an overflow or out-pouring of watery sap, and is 

 at times so severe that the Vines seem as if they would " bleed to- 

 death." The Vine is furnished with an enormous supply of watery 

 sap, which begins to flow very freely and with great force shortly 

 before growth commences, and continues until the Vine is about in 

 full leaf. The cause of "bleeding "is late pruning ; it results from 



