CHAPTER IV 

 STOCKS AND RESISTANT VINES 



PHYLLOXERA, a tiny root-louse, made its appearance in 

 France in 1861 and began multiplying with a fury unparalleled 

 in the insect world. By 1874, the pest had become so wide- 

 spread in Europe that it threatened the very existence of the 

 great vineyard industry of that continent. All attempts to 

 bring the pest under control failed, although the French gov- 

 ernment offered a reward of 300,000 francs for a satisfactory 

 remedy. Numerous methods of treating the soil to check 

 the ravages of the insect were tried, also, but none was effica- 

 cious. Finally, it dawned on European vineyardists that 

 phylloxera is not a scourge in America, its habitat, and that 

 European vineyards might be saved by grafting Vinifera vines 

 on the roots of immune American grapes. At once the recon- 

 struction of vineyards in Europe was begun by grafting the 

 grapes on phylloxera-resistant roots. Meanwhile, consterna- 

 tion spread to California when it was discovered that phylloxera 

 was running riot in some of the vineyards of the Pacific slope ; 

 however, with the knowledge derived from viticulturists in 

 Europe, they too began reconstructing vineyards on immune 

 roots, without the same success as the Europeans, it is true, 

 but with such measure of success that it soon became the 

 approved method of growing grapes in this great region. 



Through the use of resistant stocks, phylloxera is now defied 

 in Vinifera regions. Millions of American stocks are annually 

 struck at home, in Europe and wherever Vinifera grapes are 

 grown, to be top-worked with varieties susceptible to phylloxera. 

 Seldom has mastery over a pest been so complete; but, to 



61 



