330 THE FRUIT GROWER'S GUIDE. 



circulation of air, and a gentle warmth in the hot-water pipes with a little air constantly 

 in damp periods. Roof-heating is singularly efficacious in preventing the deposition of 

 moisture on the berries, and thereby averting the disease. 



Root-rot. The roots of vines have been found destroyed by four or more different 

 fungi, the most common being Agaricus melleus and Dermatophora necatrix. These 

 parasites usually begin with and kill the younger roots, causing the leaves of the vine to 

 turn yellow and fall off, and, after lingering some time, perhaps years, in a sickly state, 

 the vines perish. There is no remedy, except in the immediate removal of the attacked 

 parts, clearing away the soil, and supplying fresh, free from fragments of wood. Badly 

 infested vines should be removed and burned. In forming or renovating vine borders 

 scrupulous care should be taken to exclude beech mast, twigs, or branches of trees, also 

 bits of wood, such as are found in old plaster, for these foster fungi, which may spread 

 to the roots of the vines, and cause them, when coming in to profit, to droop and die. 



GRAPE VINE INSECTS. 



Mealy Buy (Coccus (Dactylopius) adonidum). This pest is the most loathsome to 

 which the vine is subject, for the insect not only clothes itself with cottony tufts of a 

 white substance, but secretes a sticky fluid, rendering the berries offensive. The male 

 insect is small, pale red, covered with a white bloom, and has white wings, spotted with 

 red on the front margin, and the horns (antennae) moderately long. The female is much 

 larger, oblong, wingless, reddish, but covered with white meal or powder, and possesses 

 a beak. Until the time of laying her eggs she moves freely, then remains over the 

 cottony substance. The eggs soon hatch, and the insects spread from stem to branch, 

 leaf, and fruit. The female hibernates in winter in cracks of the woodwork of the 

 house, and beneath rough bark, and this renders the insects rather difficult to eradicate. 

 The utmost care, therefore, should be taken not to introduce this great vine pest with 

 plants. 



The mealy bug makes its appearance when the vines start into growth, and should 

 then be vigorously combated. The vines should be closely examined at least once a 

 week, and wherever a trace of cottony matter is seen apply spirit of wine with a small 

 brush. By all means keep the insects from the bunches. If they get there, touch 

 each with the smallest possible quantity of spirit of wine (35 per cent.). Then, when 

 the grapes are cut, remove all the laterals, shorten the bearing wood to about three 

 joints above the pruning buds 7 and burn all the trimmings. The pests will not have 



