etc. . . 



TRANSLATORS' INTRODUCTION. 



Practical viticulture has undergone remarkable changes 

 since the advent of phylloxera in Europe, particularly in 

 regard to the reconstruction of vineyards on a phylloxera- 

 resistant basis, necessitated by the continuous advance of 

 this terrible scourge. 



For the same reasons, these radical transformations are 

 now being gradually but surely forced on Victorian vine- 

 growers, and will at no distant time become imperative. 

 The phylloxera has, in spite of repeated assertions to 

 the contrary, gained a permanent footing in Victorian 

 vineyards. It would therefore beftebsurd to ignore any 

 longer the necessity for vigorous action in regard to the 

 reconstitution of our infected vineyard areas on phylloxera- 

 proof stock ; costly annual treatmlpts of infected vine- 

 yards with insecticides, on obvious grounds of expense, 

 being simply out of the question in Victoria. 



The advance of the phylloxera has proved throughout 

 European, Asiatic, and American vineyards to be irre- 

 sistible. All attempts to eradicate the insect, or even 

 localize its outbreaks, have been utter failures, notwith- 

 standing enormous public expenditure. It is deliberately 

 courting disaster to disregard the costly experience of all 

 the great wine-growing countries of the world in this 

 matter. Phylloxera eradication and even localization have 

 failed in every country. It would, therefore, be sheer 

 folly to establish new vineyards in Victoria in or near 

 infected areas except on phylloxera-resistant stock, as this 

 method alone assures permanence. 



The practical viticultural operations necessarily involved 

 in reconstitution on phylloxera-resistant stock are, apart 

 from the important questions of affinity, selection, adapta- 

 tion, trenching, and subsoiling, identical with those of 



A 2 



