248 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OP VITICULTURE 



through the soil to the root on which it feeds precludes any method of 

 repelling or destroying the borers at the base of the canes. It is also doubt- 

 ful if anything can be hoped for from immune varieties. 



The use of fumigants in the soil about infested vines has probably 

 not been tried for this species, but some of the borers might be destroyed in 

 this way. Thorough cultivation of vineyards during the months of June and 

 July may be depended upon to destroy many of the insects while they are in 

 the cocoons at the surface of the ground, undergoing transformation. 



THE ENGINEER'S PART IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE 



VITICULTURAL INDUSTRY. 



By E. T. MEAKIN, 



San Francisco, Cal. 



The engineer is very often overlooked when thinking or speaking about 

 viticulture, so that in presenting his side of the, causes of advancement in 

 this important industry to you, gentlemen, he asks for your indulgence. 



The first engineer who was called upon for help was probably a poor 

 country blacksmith, who was asked to make a device for digging up the 

 ground so that the vines could be planted. This was some time back about 

 550 B. C., and at that time he did not realize that his ingenuity was called 

 upon at all. 



The next engineer called upon was probably a farmer, who had to devise 

 a way of getting the juice from the berries after they had been pulled off 

 the vines. The first method devised has not been recorded, but certainly 

 this part of the business has received considerable attention from engineers 

 from that date down to the present time. 



To attempt to enumerate all the various devices that have been engi- 

 neered for this part of the business would be impossible. 



The earliest type of a grape crusher of which we have any record was 

 a hollow stone, the same as they used to grind corn, the grapes being thrown 

 into the bowl and the juice being pounded out with another stone; the juice 

 was then collected and stored in goat skins. 



We also find the early wine makers used the old arastra as a means of 

 crushing their grapes, the grapes being thrown in front of a wheel which was 

 fastened to a central revolving post and drawn around a circular pan by a 

 team of oxen, the wheel crushing all the grapes that were in its path, thus 

 freeing the juice, which was collected, usually in earthenware jars or bowls. 



Later we have a long trough about 18 inches deep and six feet long into 

 which the grapes were thrown, and men or women removing their footwear, 

 stepped into the box and tramped out the juice from the grapes. This was 

 a form of a crusher and press, and this same device is used in many places 

 at the present time and with it they make the real genuine foot juice. 



