510 VINE MILDEW. 



is seldom an occurrence of this disease when it can- 

 not be traced, in like manner, to a sudden extreme. 

 The summers of 1862 and lS6f3 were remarkable, 

 in the eastern part of the country, for these changes; 

 and consequently there was a great prevalence of 

 mildew, while in 1864 the ojoposite was the case. 



The vine mildew which results from this oidium 

 was so much feared in France, on its first aj^pear- 

 ance, that the Government offered a prize of ten 

 thousand francs, in connection with the " Society for 

 the Encouragement of National Industry," for a 

 remedy. Three thousand francs were added for 

 the best essay upon the disease ; and prizes of from 

 five hundred to one thousand francs were given to 

 eight gentlemen for their efforts in observing and 

 ex^Dlaining the nature of this fungus. It threatened 

 at one time to cause as much suffering among the 

 inhabitants of the vine districts of France and 

 Madeira, by the ruin of the crop, as did the pota- 

 to disease in Ireland. 



The remedy is to apply water containing sulphur 

 and lime, slacked together. In large vineyards it is 

 almost impossible to apply this wash, and therefore 

 dry flour of sulphur is thrown on the under side of 

 the leaf This should be a very fine powder ; and 

 the purchaser must be careful that the ground, 

 coarser material be not substituted. It should be 

 applied when the fungus first makes its appearance. 

 The oidium of the vine creeps over the surface of 



