QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 101 



615. Q. Why are American grape vines so largely planted in European American 

 vineyards, and why are European sorts so seldom planted in America. Grape. 



A. The roots of American varieties have greater resistent powers 

 against the phylloxera. The sorts used are selections from the cestivalis, 

 riparia, labrusca, and some few are from the wild forms of liupestris cordi- 

 folia, cinerea, Berlandieri. European sorts having very little resistent 

 power are not much used in this country, as they soon become unhealthy 

 and die. 



616. Q. On my farm are two distinct qualities of soil, one section being Influence 

 loam, the other sand, and curious to understand, the plants in the sand **' Sand. 

 resist drought the best. Why is this ? 



A. On a sandy soil water either derived from above as rain, or from 

 beneath by the action of the sun, lodges in the interstices between the 

 grains of sand and forces the air out, and in this way a sandy soil may 

 hold a large amount of water. 



617. Q. What is the grape insect known as phylloxera ? PhyUoxera 

 A. It originally came from the Mississippi Valley, and was discovered ^^^' 



about 1854. Between 1870 and 1880 a large portion of the vineyards of 

 France and Spain was destroyed by it, and subsequently the vineyards of 

 all Europe were seriously affected. It is believed the insect was taken to 

 Europe attached to roots of American vines. 



Up to 1884 over two million acres of vineyards had been destroyed in 

 France, and one million more injuriously affected. A loss estimated at 

 $140,000,000. The mature insect hatches out upon the young roots of the 

 grape in June, and works its way through the earth to the surface to fly 

 away and extend its species. 



Lighting upon young grape leaves, it deposits its eggs, which form leaf 

 galls. The grubs hatched in these galls immediately lay other eggs, 

 sometimes two or three hundred, the larvss from which drop to the earth 

 and, penetrating it, are ready in the Spring to aflix themselves to the 

 roots. These larvae form nodules on the rootlets, and deposit about 

 one hundred eggs, to hatch out and recommence in June the round of 

 transformations just described. The most eflicient remedy is to saturate 

 the soil about the vines with the fumes of bisulphide of carbon, about 

 three hundred pounds to the acre. This is done by pumps with small 

 penetrating tubes to be forced down among the roots. Flooding or sub- 

 mersion to a depth of twelve inches for a period of ten days is beneficial 

 in October or May. 



618. Q. What is corn smut ? Corn Smnt. 

 A. A minute parasitic plant, seldom seen till after some weeks of growth 



within the close envelope of the ear, when it bursts out in a black mass. 

 There is no remedy to arrest its growth while saving the ear. Possibly 

 soaking the seed corn in blue vitrol might be a preventive. 



619. Q. Is there any fertilizing value in green oats or rye plowed under? oreen 



A. Yes, to an extent ; but not so much as derived from crimson clover Manuring. 

 or cow peas. There is no object in raising rye or oats to plow under. 



