602 t DISEASES OF THE VINE. 



press. These "direct producers" are a comparatively 

 mgdern creation, and many of them leave much to be 

 desired both as regards the quality of fruit and their 

 resistance against the pest, but we have had so many 

 surprises in the realms of Agriculture and Horticulture 

 that we need not despair to see one day 'hybrid direct 

 producers" which to a satisfactory degree of resistance 

 against the Phylloxera and other serious diseases of the 

 vine, unite the valuable qualities of the European vines. 



Among the Hymenoptera there are several species 

 which cause notable damage to the ripe grapes. The 

 chief of them is Vespa germanica L., which is well 

 known all over Europe and destroys ripe grapes as well 

 as other fruits. Vespa vulgaris, L and V. crabro, L. 

 are two other species frequent in our vineyards. Polistes 

 gallica, L. which is common in vineyards and gardens, is 

 also known to destroy many a fine bunch ot grapes. The 

 nests of these wasps should be found out and destroyed, 

 and grapes which it is proposed to keep long on the vine 

 should be placed in wire-gauze bags, or wrapped up in 

 a sheet of paper which is tied up above the bunch, and 

 kept open below to allow frequent inspection and the 

 circulation of air. 



The Lepidoptera include a large number of species 

 which are known to be injurious to the vine in other 

 countries, but fortunately the most destructive species 

 Conchy Us ambiguella, Hlibn. does not exist in our vine- 

 yards, and the injury caused by other species is never 

 widespread or serious enough to occasion* complaints. 



Ino ampelophaga, Hlibn. is common in France and 

 Italy. It is a 'small moth, about 2 c.m. broad from one 

 wing to the other, of a dull brown colour. From April 

 to May the female moth deposits about 300 eggs on the 

 old buds or on the new snoots, and the young which 

 soon hatch, perforate and tat up the buds, or eat and 



