102 AMERICAN GRAPE GROWING 



shoots on his canes along the first wire to one to two 

 eyes, growing his fruit on these, and leaving the old arm, 

 pruning back the young shoots to spurs every year, leav- 

 ing the bearing shoots unchecked, and tying them to the 

 wires above. While it succeeds there, I have my doubts 

 as to its applicability with us, for the reasons already 

 given, nor do I believe that he can grow any better fruit 

 even there, than could be obtained by our simpler method. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



DISEASES OF THE VINE. 



I cannot agree with those writers who assert that the 

 diseases of the -vine are not threatening in this country. 

 They are so formidable that whole districts where grape 

 growing was formerly followed, have given up the cul- 

 ture of the vine almost entirely, and it seems as if all 

 varieties of the Labrusca become, more or less, a prey to 

 them. This may, to a certain extent, be attributed to 

 the Phylloxera, or Root Louse, which so enfeebles the 

 plant, that it can not withstand the changes of our vari- 

 able climate. But even the Concord, which is almost 

 Phylloxera proof, has rotted worse than any other during 

 the last few years, although formerly considered one of 

 the most reliable. I think one of the reasons why the 

 Labrusca class is so subject to disease, is the tendency of 

 the vines to root near the surface, as they are thus more 

 liable to be affected by excessive wet, or the reverse ex- 

 treme, drouth. It is, therefore, fortunate indeed, that 

 we have some varieties which do not rot, at least to such 

 an extent as to affect their crop. Almost all of the older 



