230 THE GKAPE CULTUR1ST. 



variety has been seriously injured since by this pest. 

 The Phylloxera, being a native insect, it is not at all 

 likely to ever become a serious pest in our eastern vine- 

 yards, because the indigenous species are capable of re- 

 sisting its attacks unless they are enfeebled by forced 

 propagation, neglect of cultivation, or planting in uncon- 

 genial soils and climates. It is, however, a destructive 

 pest to all foreign varieties, and many hybrids, as the 

 vineyardists of Europe have learned, to their cost. It 

 is now believed, and it is probably true, that this insect 

 has been the principal cause of the failure of all the vine- 

 yards planted with European varieties in the eastern 

 States during the last century, and in the early years of 

 the present one. Mildew and black rot, and other fun- 

 gus diseases, may have, also, been enemies ; but, what- 

 ever the cause, it is well known that the foreign varie- 

 ties do not thrive anywhere in the United States east of 

 the Rocky Mountains. In California, however, they 

 have been cultivated with great success, and for many 

 years ; but the Phylloxera has appeared in the vineyards 

 of that favored region, and what the results will be time 

 alone must determine. 



In the way of remedies there is little to be said, be- 

 cause there are none that have, as yet, proved effectual 

 under all conditions. In France the employment of the 

 most vigorous of the American species for stocks upon 

 which to graft the foreign varieties, has been extensively 

 practiced, with excellent results ; but this comes more 

 in the line of preventives than a destroyer of the pest, 

 and, in my opinion, the vineyardists of the Atlantic 

 States have only to plant clean, healthy vines of the 

 well known native resistant varieties, and then give them 

 good cultivation and judicious pruning, to escape any 

 serious loss from the attacks of the grape Phylloxera. 

 Of course care will ever be required in the selection of 

 congenial soils and locations for vineyards, because, if 



