CULTURE OF THE GRAPE. 239 







taken that the sulphur is not put upon very hot bricks, so 

 that it will approach burning, else the sulphurous acid gas 

 will prove destructive to the foliage of the vine as well as to 

 the fungus. Another mode of applying it is to dust the dry 

 flour through the foliage in the middle of a clear, dry day. 

 The sulphur is much more efficacious and pervading when 

 the foliage and the air are free from moisture. For the 

 vineyard, this is the easiest and most rapid mode of appli- 

 cation, requiring, however, a larger amount of sulphur. I 

 have never found any evil resulting from too free use; 

 and I therefore recommend frequent and liberal dustings 

 wherever there is a liability to the disease. Several ma- 

 chines have been devised for the purpose of dusting the 

 sulphur evenly underneath and through the foliage, such 

 as the bellows principle to blow the dust ; also a tin cyl- 

 inder, two feet in length, and about three inches in diame- 

 ter, perforated with minute holes at one end and on the 

 sides, and having a round woollen ball to play inside as a 

 valve. This cylinder is attached to a handle two feet or 

 more in length. When the cylinder is partly filled with 

 sulphur, and is thrust back and forth under the vines, the 

 ball acts as a plunger to drive out . clouds of sulphur. 

 Though I have nefer used such a machine, I think it can 

 be made very efficient. My own practice has been to use 



