328 THE FRUIT GROWERS GUIDE. 



does not always encircle the footstalk or stem ; then the part affected does not collapse 

 at the time, but it may occur later, as is seen in bunches which are kept some time after 

 being ripe. This may be termed the dry gangrene, and attacks almost every kind of 

 grape, but the other form is the most disastrous, and ruins many crops of grapes. 



All grapes are liable to this disease. Outdoor grapes, because they are the hardiest, 

 suffer the least, and are less subject to errors of management. Frontignans are most 

 attacked, because they are the tenderest. Early forced grapes are less liable to the disease, 

 because they are seldom over-burdened, than midseason and late grapes, which are 

 often cropped within "an inch of their lives." 



The most prevalent conditions of soil, plant, and management culminating in shanking 

 are : 1, Wet and cold subsoil, soil sour and soddened. 2, Borders formed of over-rich 

 material, an excess of organic matter, soapy in staple, containing spongy roots. 3, Too 

 open staple, lack of moisture for the roots. 4, Excessive feeding, too strong liquid 

 manure from tanks, and too heavy mulchings. 5, Chills and checks caused by applica- 

 tions of cold water or liquid manure, and sudden and extreme changes of temperature. 

 6, Irrational manipulation of the growths, neglecting to disbud and stop the shoots until 

 it becomes necessary to remove large quantities. 7, Over- crowding the foliage so that 

 by lack of air and light it cannot perform its proper functions. 8, Imperfect ventilation, 

 which causes the leaves to be thin in texture, weak in elaborative power, and easily 

 scorched. 9, Foliage impaired by attacks of red spider. 10, Excessive atmospheric 

 moisture. 11, Deficient foliage and lack of lateral extension. 12, Over-cropping, 

 allowing more fruit to remain than the vines can support, and hence the collapse and 

 calamity. 



These are some of the inducements of shanking, a disease caused by bacterial and 

 fungal germs finding a fitting nidus for their development. The way to prevent shank- 

 ing is to avoid everything calculated to debilitate the vines. Strengthen the weakly 

 varieties, such as the Frontignans and Black Muscat, by working them on others with 

 constitutional hardiness, such as Foster's Seedling, and follow the instructions which have 

 been given for the production and sustenance of active roots and healthy foliage. 

 Affected berries should be cut out and burned, and measures taken to prevent the 

 recurrence of the evil by correcting the defects of soil, feeding, and management. 

 Judicious applications of superphosphate of lime, sulphate of iron, and gypsum fortify 

 vines : say, superphosphate, 3 \ pounds ; sulphate of iron, ^ pound ; gypsum, 1 pound ; 

 mix and apply at the rate of 5 ounces per square yard when the vines are coining into 



