DISEASES. 151 



alternative that remains is to cut away the parts injured, 

 and remove them immediately from the house, and insure 

 the prevention of any contamination to those which are 

 healthy. 



Dry Ret in the Roots. The upper indications of this 

 disease are flaccidity, and deficiency of solidity, accom- 

 panied by a sickly yellowish color of the foliage, weak 

 growth of the branches and paucity of fruit ; a prolonged 

 increase of the malady will at length cause the vine to die, 

 and that most commonly about the time when the berries 

 are half grown. All this arises from the want of nourish- 

 ment from the roots, which, if examined, will be found to 

 be rotted, and often covered by a mouldiness or fungus. 

 There is no doubt but the primitive cause of this affection 

 is a check to constitutional vigor ; and extremely close 

 summer pruning has much to do with it, as it prevents 

 the plant from equalizing its expansive and centralizing 

 powers, thereby keeping up a perpetual excitement through 

 the vessels, which at last brings on an enfeebled condition. 

 When a vine becomes affected in this way the best plan 

 is to take it out, renew the soil in the immediate vicinity, 

 and afterwards plant another in the same place, for it is 

 seldom that the diseased one does any more good. 



The roots sometimes become rotted from other causes, 

 such as being too deep under the surface, or when the 

 borders are very retentive of moisture, or composed of 

 over-much undecomposed materials, &c. For this there 

 is a remedy if taken in time, and the best thing to be done 

 is to thoroughly drain, if that only is the mischief, but if 

 it be from the other sources mentioned, the roots will re- 

 quire to be lifted, and the operation needs great care ; so 

 soon as the leaves fall, proceed to uncover them; trace 

 each one, and as they are respectively liberated lay them 

 in a.straight length until all are secured, after which they 



