ELEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 23 



The President : Does anyone wish to question Prof. Britton 

 about insects at this time? Or Mr. Perry about new fruits? 

 They have both reported to you. 



Mr. Liegey : I want to ask Prof. Britton one question. I 

 had a letter from my brother, who is abroad, and he writes me 

 that thev say over there that the phylloxera was brought from 

 the American plant. I would ask Prof. Britton to tell us about 

 that ? 



Prof. Britton : The phylloxera has been with us for a great 

 many years. It is true it is an American insect, but it does 

 not afifect our native fruit very much. There is one form of 

 it that lives upon the leaves, and causes little galls to form, 

 in which they live, and there is another form that lives upon 

 the roots of the grape vine, and causes galls upon the roots. 

 During the early part of the nineteenth century the attempt 

 was made to grow the European grapes in this country, but 

 the attempt failed, principally on account of the attacks of 

 this insect, and it was not until our American grape-growing 

 was based upon our native varieties that it made any progress. 

 In California they grew the European species of grape, but the 

 phylloxera has not been present there. I hear, however, that it 

 has been taken to California, so that we may expect that it will 

 cause some trouble. It was imported into Europe on grape 

 cuttings, or plants sent over from America, and has done a 

 great deal of damage in the large vineyards of Europe. In 

 some cases where the vineyards have been so situated that they 

 could be flooded for a portion of the year, these insects, when on 

 the roots, have been drowned out. In other cases carbon bisul- 

 phite put on the ground around the vine has been a useful 

 remedy. That has been only a partial success, however, for 

 the roots of the grapevine run so far down that it is impossible 

 for the gas to go through the soil and kill all the insects. The 

 best remedy which they have, however, is to use American roots. 

 If they graft the European varieties upon American roots, that 

 will help matters a good deal. They are so hard and tough 

 and the insect cannot injure them very seriously. That is being 

 practiced in some portions of Europe at present. 



Anything in the way of tobacco water is helpful. It is a 

 good idea, in case you find you have it, to put light tobacco dust 

 around them. That will have a tendency to keep them away. 



