EARLY ACCOUNTS OP DISEASES 95 



Knudsen. In four years I was able to exhibit five 

 kinds of fine grapes at the horticultural exhibition of 

 New York at Niblo's Garden; but the vines produced 

 few good bunches, and very soon none at all. The 

 vines and shoots continued to grow for several years, 

 but the fruit was mouldy and black before the period 

 of ripening, and thus were worthless." 



With the extension of the grape -planted acres, 

 the diseases attacked the varieties of native origin, 

 like the Catawba and Isabella, and they finally ruined 

 the grape industry of the Cincinnati region. The rot 

 of grapes had begun to attract much attention about 

 Cincinnati previous to 1850. In 1859, Cist made the 

 following record of it: "In the Ohio Valley, for the 

 last three or four years, the grape crop has been much 

 injured by mildew and rot, diseases incident to bad 

 seasons, or sudden atmospheric changes. Many reme- 

 dies have been tried, but none has yet been found 

 effectual in these cases. It is difficult, by any mode of 

 vineyard cultivation, pruning or training, to conquer 

 disease arising from atmospheric causes." Probably 

 the first published specific for this rot was the follow- 

 ing, which was sent to the Commissioner of Patents in 

 1853, by Anthony Miller, of Portland, Calloway county, 

 Missouri: "My observations have led me to the be- 

 lief that the ' rot ' in the grape depends on a weakness 

 in the vine, even when the ground is rich and well 

 manured. This disease, consisting only in weakness, 

 befalls the vines soon after they bloom. Following 

 this notion, I thought of a remedy, which consists of 

 the following: I take fresh cow manure (without 

 straw, leaves, etc., being mixed with it), which I mix 

 in a ditch, or in a large hogshead, with slops, wash- 



