1879.J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



135 



method of vsing it? Sulpho-carbonato of 

 potash, according to the learned M. Dunius, 

 contains from 15 to 18 per cent, of sulpliuret 

 of carbon and the same proportion of potash. 

 It is not inflammable, and is more easily 

 handled than sulpliuret of carbon. It acls 

 not (mly by means of the latter substance, but 

 also by means of the potash, which is the 

 special manure of the vine. Its application 

 by injectors involves the inconvenience of 

 rapidly spoilin}; the instruments, and render- 

 ing them unfit for use. Messrs. Dumas and 

 Monillefert employ it as follows : When the 

 stocks are laid bare, about TjO Kranimcs of 

 sulpho-carbonate of potash are poured on ; 

 they are then watered with from 5 to 10 liters 

 of water, and covered up again. In general, 

 the results of this plan are very satisfactory, 

 but the cost, by reason of the hand-labor, the 

 carrying of water, and the u.se of sulpho-car- 

 bonate of potash, is much highe* than that of 

 sulpliuret of carbon. The former, being 

 much less easily evaporated than the lattei', 

 offers a certain advantage in the warm 

 season, but not sufficient, perhaps, to compen- 

 sate for its increased cost. 



What is the cost of the sulpho-carbonate of 

 potash treatment ? 



For a single' application there are required 

 50 grammes to the superficial meter, or 500 

 kilogrammes at (10 francs, 300 francs ; water 

 and hand-labor estimated at 200 francs ; total, 

 500 francs. Or about five francs per are. By 

 adding to these expenses the ordinary ones, it 

 will be seen at a glance whether the yield of 

 our vines is adequate to cover them. 



7s it necessary to manure vines that hare been 

 treated by ivsecticMes f 



The vine attacked by the phylloxera grows 

 feeble and becomes diseased, and it is highly 

 necessary to strengthen it by manures in 

 which potash dominates, azote and phos- 

 phoric acid in the proportion of two and three 

 per cent, sulphate of iron or green copperas 

 about five per cent. As a potassic and phos- 

 phoric manure, cinders of Isle of Resea weed 

 may be used In doses of 200 grammes per 

 stock. Soot has also a good efl'ect. Stassfurt 

 salts, in which chloruret of potash predomi- 

 nates, may (in doses of from one to two hun- 

 dred granjmes) be placed around the foot of 

 the stock to help the formation of the new 

 roots. In this way insecticides and manures 

 should go side by side, if it is sought to obtain 

 a satisfactory result. 



Hare endeavors to f^ht the phyllorera by means 

 of insecticides and manures been made to some 

 extent in this department ? 



Upon the Plaud-Chermignac property, 

 about G kilometers from Saintes, there is a 

 vineyard some 30 hectares and 50 ares in area, 

 which for six years has been overrun by the 

 phylloxera. The soil is very varied, in some 

 places the calcareous and the plastic, clayey 

 soils lie side by side, and it is very easy to 

 observe the diverse results obtained according 

 to the nature and depth of the different soils. 

 All the patches of vines, without exception, 

 have been attacked by the phylloxera, and 

 have been treated with sulphuret of carbon 

 and sulpho-carbonate of potash. In compar- 

 ing the vines that have undergone treatment 

 with the neighbors' vines that have remained 

 without treatment, one cannot help seeing the 

 good results of the use of "insecticides in con- 

 junction with manures. 



Is not submersion a certain means of destroying 

 the phylloxera? 



Submersion of the stocks for forty days is 

 unquestionably a certain means of destroying 

 nearly all the iihylloxera on a vine. But to 

 adopt this method the land must be low, 

 pervious on top, impervious beneath, and 

 located in the vicinity of water. In our 

 climate, where in low lands vines very easily 

 freeze, arreat care is taken not to plant them 

 there, and consequently submersion can 

 ■ seldom be resorted to hereabouts. It should 

 also be noticed that as soon as a proprietor 

 submerges a vine be moistens the soil of his 

 neighbor, who, in cas^ie wants no water, has 

 a right to complain, aW may bring suit, as is 

 at present the case near Libourne. Submer- 



sion, moreover, under any favorable circum- 

 stances involves an expense of about 150 

 francs per hectare. It should not be forgotten 

 that to this expense, annually repeated, must 

 be added the cost of manures, which are in 

 such a case indisjieusable, as the soil is infused 

 with lye by the use of the water. 



Since Fiench vines do not mthaland the phyl- 

 loxera's attacks, woxdct it not be possible by sovntiij 

 to f^itain some new species that resist better, or to 

 graft French cuttings upon French vild vines f 



All attempts of this character, made and 

 repeated at various points, have caused noth- 

 ing but disappointment and deception. 



Jl appearing lltut Ihe iinlhods of fighting the 

 phylloxera by irisei-licidi-s, iiianiires, and submer- 

 sion lire not ulti mleil niH, profit in this locality, 

 except ill riia.s nf r!i,e.i planted in soil of consider- 

 able di pill, run III, re not be found in the rcsistaiice 

 ofl'ereil tin- }'liiiUnf, rit by certain American slockx 

 a more irniinni'ii'il nay to the preservation of our 

 oivn f And to begin with, is the resistance of these 

 American stocks real f 



For fourteen or fifteen years past, in the 

 Departments of Gard and Gironde, the stock 

 called "Jacquez" has resisted very well, in the 

 midst of the phylloxera's ravages, and given 

 good yields long after the native stocks have 

 succumbed. The "Ilerbemont," the "Cun- 

 ningham," the "Taylor," the "York Made- 

 ira," and the "Vitis Solonis," after being 

 planted six or seven years in the very focus of 

 the phylloxera's attacks, are resisting, and 

 show a very handsome growth, while the other 

 stocks have succumbed. 



M'ill this resistance be permanent ? 



A resistance which in the case of the 

 "Jacquez" has existed for fifteen years, in the 

 case of the others for six or seven years, and 

 which has always existed in America, offers 

 almost indisputable assurance for the future, 

 and no argument or facts why it should prove 

 otherwise can be discovered. 



Is the "Clinton," which is quite widely planted, 

 irorthy of recommendation f 



Wlien planted in rich, fresh soil it sustains 

 itself passably well ; but deprived of these 

 conditions it does not resist the phylloxera. 

 It gives, too, a poor wine, with a foxy taste. 

 This stock has been abandoned by all good 

 wine growers. 



How is the resistance of American slocks ex- 

 plained f 



The fiber of American resisting roots is, ac- 

 cording to M. Foex, much denser and closer 

 than that of our European vines, and turns 

 into wood (lignifies) much more quickly. So 

 that in the American roots the phylloxera's 

 puncture only attacks the outer bark, upon 

 which it produces little excrescences which 

 fall off like warts. In the case of French 

 roots its puncture causes decay, Some stocks, 

 such as the "Jacquez," especially, the "Iler- 

 bemont," and the "Cunningham," can be 

 planted and will yield wine without being 

 grafted. They possess a resisting power 

 equal to every test. The "Jacquez," when 

 cultivated in this locality, blooms and ripens 

 at the same time with the wild grape ; it 

 produces a good red wine of a very dark color 

 and is highly valued by the trade. It is not 

 difficult of cultivation as regards choice of 

 soil. Its grapes, when ripe, keep for a long 

 time without decaying. Up to the present 

 time it is a stock against which nothing can 

 be said. The "Herbemont" yields a fine red 

 wine, not very dark in color. It blooms six 

 or seven days later than the "Jacquez," and 

 at the same time with the "Balzar." We shall 

 know this year whether it ripens in this 

 climate, which, however, is probable. It 

 would be a very good vine to plant in our dry, 

 calcareous, and stony soils, in which it flour- 

 ishes and grows extremely vigorous. The 

 "Cunningham" produces at once, and quite a 

 good wine, something like Madeira. In 1878 

 it bloomed in this locality ten or eleven days 

 later than the "Jacquez." We shall not be 

 decided until the fall as to its period of ma- 

 turity. Other American stocks yielding wine 

 at once are under trial. 



7s there not some difficulty about the "Jacquez," 

 the "Ilerbemont," and the "Cunningham" taking 

 rootf 



In 1877, in this locality, the "Jacquez" and 

 the "IlerU'mont," being placed in nursery 

 and in fresh soil, yieUled a return of 70 per 

 cent. The "Cunningham" yielded less. The 

 "Kiparia," the "Wild Cordifolia," the 

 "Taylor," the "York Madeira," and the 

 "Vitis Solonis" have great powers of resist- 

 ance to the phylloxera, but yield so little wine 

 that they should be used only to bear graft- 

 ings from French stocks. They have 'the 

 advantage of taking root very easily. 



What is the best method for yraf ting French vinei 

 on the American onest 



Joining a French and American slip, by 

 means of the "English graft," and placing 

 them in the nurs ry for tlie winter and 

 spring. In the following year those that have 

 been successful arc carefully taken up and set 

 out, either with slats or in pots. Another 

 good way is this: The American cuttings, 

 after having been put in the nursery in winter 

 or spring, are taken up, the French slips are 

 then grafted upon them (by the English plan), 

 and they are then .set out. Success in this 

 way is almost certain. A third way consists 

 in planting the American slips permanently 

 in the vineyard, and then, in the second year, 

 grafting the native cuttings upon them, 

 whether by slitting or by the English plan. 



7s there not some danger that French stocks 

 grafted upon American ones will yield an inferior 

 quality of wine f 



Experience has already pronounced in favor 

 of French fruit trees and vines ; and the wines 

 coming from French stocks grafted upon 

 American ones are absolutely the same as if 

 they had not been grafted. 



What, in short, is the best course to follow when 

 a vineyard is attacked f 



If the vineyard is on surface soil, and the 

 spots on the vines not very numerous, try to 

 oppose the phylloxera in lavorable weather 

 by sulphuret of carbon or sulpho-carbonate of 

 potash, so as at least to retard its inroads and 

 damages. If the vineyard is on deep, moist, 

 and compact soil, struggle perseveringly and 

 incessantly. The outlay will be repaid with 

 interest ; for those who are able to preserve 

 their vines longest may be sure of bein» 

 largely remunerated for'their advances and 

 labor. On surface as well as on deep soil do 

 not hesitate to establish at once nureeries of 

 American resisting vines, whether for the 

 purpose of producing wine from them at once 

 or for use in bearing grafts of French stocks. 

 T17in( should be done in a section not yet over- 

 Manure the vines and cultivate them care- 

 fully ; and if chere is any ground not in use, 

 sow the grape stnnen of American stocks, so as to 

 be ready to start a second vineyard, and 

 thereby not be taken unawares. In sowing 

 grape stones there is absolutely no risk 

 whatever of introducing the phylloxera, 

 while, on the other hand, it would be ex- 

 tremely imi)rudent to introduce into any non- 

 infected section in this locality, either Ameri- 

 can or French stocks coming from regions 

 already infected.— Scienfi^c American. 



AMONG THE NEWER STRAWBER- 

 HIES. 



Eds. Country Gentleman.— In this 

 vicinity the season of 187'J has been a very 

 favorable one for the strawberry. A some- 

 what protracted drouth in May threatened 

 serious injury to the crop, but copious showers 

 about the first of June, at the time the 

 berries were setting, secured a fair crop of 

 finer fruit than is usually seen. In the 

 Rochester market immense quantities of 

 strawberries have been handled. As an 

 instance of this, I quote from the "Union" of 

 recent date as follows : "The sale of straw- 

 berries during the past few days has been 

 unprecedented, and a leading groceryman 

 informed a reporter of this paper, that the 

 day before yesterday he sold 2,500 quarts ; 

 yesterday he disposed of 4,000, and this 

 morning before eight o'clock he had sold 1,500 

 quarts. When we consider the large quantity 

 many other grocerymen like the above must 

 have sold, together with what the dealers 



