DISEASES OF THE GRAPE VINE. 105 



similar character, which has been imported along with American 

 Vines, and is now rapidly spreading over the Vineyards of 

 Europe, but has not yet appeared in this country. The fungus is said 

 to appear only on the under-side of the leaves, never on the upper, 

 and rarely on the young stems and inflorescence. 



Diphtheritis. This disease, which seems to be either rare or of 

 recent origin, for it is not described in any book we know, is a certain 

 strange affection of the shoots and foliage, which in lack of an 

 authorised name Mr. Blackmore, of Teddington, who has directed 

 our attention to this malady, suggests may be termed Diphtheritis, or 

 Lori fixation ; for the parts attacked assume ere long the consistency 

 of leather, and finally that of wire almost. The first symptom is a 

 contraction of the margin of the half-grown foliage, till the leaf 

 becomes like a cup inverted, then the stem loses its crisp, clear sub- 

 stance, goes dull, and is channelled with lines of shrinkage. The tips 

 of the shoots become flat and flaccid, all the gloss is lost, and the 

 vigour gone ; and the disease descends from leaf to leaf, until the 

 whole tissue is hardened, and the young wood becomes of a dirty black 

 tint. The growth of the season is stopped, and the main stem, instead 

 of gaining in bulk, is lessened. 



Young Vines alone, so far as our present knowledge goes, are 

 affected by this disorder ; but they seem to take it alike whether 

 grown in pots, or planted in their places. The roots appear to be 

 perfectly healthy ; the growth is robust and vigorous ; the house has 

 been managed as usual, there are no cold draughts, or sudden changes, 

 defects, or excesses of temperature ; but suddenly this disease 

 appears, and Vine after Vine is afflicted. 



This mainly is contagious, or, at any rate, epidemic ; the symptoms 

 seem to be distinct from all the recognised forms of mildew, and 

 cannot be checked by the use of sulphur ; yet further investigation 

 may prove that it is of fungoid origin. Some Vine-shoots suffering 

 from this complaint were brought before the Scientific Committee of 

 the Royal Horticultural Society about three years since, and that 

 learned body attributed the mischief to red-spider. Possibly the 

 disease is akin to the Pear-blight of America, there known as the 

 smut, the blacks, and by other local descriptions. At any rate an 

 affection very much like it, in outward show, has been observed in 

 recent years among young Pear-growths against walls, especially among 

 Louise Bonne, young trees of which it has quickly killed in the prime 

 of their summer foliage. 



The only treatment we can recommend is to cut below the 

 parts affected, remove the tainted growth from the houses, and 

 stimulate the Vines, if they have strength left to form healthier 

 foliage. 



