Inclement Weather, Diseases, Etc. 289 



is much parched by drought, and the vine no longer 

 finds, in the soil, the moisture necessary to repair the 

 losses it experiences, through evaporation, the bunches 

 we have just spoken of may also be scorched. 



[Sunscald is a trouble we do not dread, notwithstanding the 

 great heat of the solar ray in our climate. By judicious sum- 

 mer pruning, and the avoidance of the defoliation practiced 

 in Europe, and with healthy, vigorous vines, that do not mil- 

 dew, and cast their leaves, we rarely sustain any loss from sun- 

 scald. This trouble will follow bad summer pruning, by 

 which the foliage is too freely removed, and will follow the 

 terrible defoliation of the vines caused by mildew, when this 

 occurs early in the season, and it may happen when the vines 

 have been broken down by a storm, or by the parting of the 

 ties with which they were fastened to the stake or trellis. 

 The first and the last are within our control ; we may learn 

 to do our summer pruning more judiciously, and we may be 

 on the alert, promptly to restore the fallen vines, and be care- 

 ful, when raising it, and securing it to its place, so to arrange 

 the foliage as to cover every bunch from the sun. We can 

 not so well manage to prevent the defoliations produced by 

 the mildew, though judicious and persistent sulphuration prom- 

 ises to be effective. In this treatment our author appears to 

 have great confidence, as will appear in those pages where he 

 discusses the subject. Some cultivators have arrived at the 

 conclusion that it is useless to plant such varieties as are sub- 

 ject to the malady, and they confine their attentions exclusive- 

 ly to the culture of those that appear perfectly healthy and 

 hardy. This is a good practice, certainly ; but, unfortunately, 

 some of our very best table-grapes are those most subject to 

 the malady ; we have them, and are unwilling to give them 

 up.] 



