90 THE EVOLUTION OF OUR NATIVE FRUITS 



been introduced into Europe, where they have wrought 

 widespread havoc. I quote Lodeman's account of 

 the introduction of these fungi, in his "Spraying of 

 Plants:" 



"The mildew was first discovered in France in 1878. Millardet 

 saw it in September of that year upon some American grape 

 seedlings growing in the nursery of the Societe d'Agriculture de 

 la Gironde, and Plachon at the same time recognized it on the 

 leaves of Jaequez grapes at Coutras, and also received it from 

 various departments of Lot -et- Garonne, and of Rhone. The dis- 

 ease spread rapidly, and was so destructive that in 1882 the fruit 

 in many vineyards was almost entirely destroyed. The climate of 

 Prance appears to be peculiarly adapted to the growth of this 

 mildew, which flourishes as well upon the varieties of Vitis vinif- 

 era as upon our American species. In moist seasons it is fully as 

 energetic as in America, or even more so. The leaves fall from 

 the vines, and the grapes are thus prevented from ripening prop- 

 erly. Even in cases in which the vines do not lose all their 

 foliage, a partial reduction is sufficient to decrease the amount of 

 sugar in the grapes to such an extent that their value for wine is 

 very greatly lessened. Many growers did not at first realize the 

 seriousness of this disease. In some vineyards it even obtained a 

 firm foothold without being noticed, for the portions of the fungus 

 which are on the exterior of the leaves are borne on the under 

 side. When, however, it became established in a certain district, 

 all doubts regarding its seriousness vanished, and the vineyardists 

 found themselves confronted by a disease which not only threat- 

 ened to destroy their vines, but which gave unmistakable proof 

 of its power to do so. The American disease of grapes commonly 

 known as black-rot was first discovered in the vineyards of France 

 in August, 1885. Mr. Ricard, the steward of an estate situated 

 at the gates of the small town of Ganges, at the borders of 

 1'Herault, was the first to call attention to the presence of this 

 fungus. He saw that his grapes turned brown, then black, while 

 still remaining upon the vine. He sent some of these diseased 

 grapes to the viticultural laboratory of 1'Eeole de Montpellier, 

 where Messrs. Viala and Ravaz recognized the parasite. They 

 went to the affected vineyard, and saw that only about thirty 



