56 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Mr W. H. Slade of East Cleveland estimates that one fourth 

 of the vineyards in that section have been destroyed by this 

 insect pest, and according to his observations the Wordens and 

 Catawbas suffer more than the Concord. The most serious 

 damage in his experience was met with on the lighter soil of 

 knolls. 



Mr W. W. Dille of Nottingham is of the opinion that there has 

 been a decrease in recent years of 40^ in the area devoted to 

 grapes. He attributes this shrinkage about equally to the rot, 

 which has been very prevalent, to the operations of the grape 

 root worm, and prevailing low prices. He states that the insect 

 injuries have been limited mostly to the bluff and to vineyards 

 in the near vicinity of the lake shore, those back and just under 

 the bluff escaping with comparatively little damage. He con- 

 siders the 8 Concord as one of the most resistant varieties. 



A number of other growers were interviewed and some dis- 

 parity of opinion naturally prevailed. It will be seen, how- 

 ever, that there are a number of well informed men in that sec- 

 tion who attribute very serious injuries to this insect, and while 

 the estimates of some may be excessive, there can be no doubt 

 but that the pest has caused very serious los-ses. The season 

 of 1902 was unfavorable for observing the work of this pest 

 because the repeated rains have enabled the vines to sustain 

 much greater injury than they would in times when there was 

 less moisture. These conditions prevented the making of per- 

 sonal observations on the destructiveness of the insect and most 

 of our data relating to this had to be obtained from the evidence 

 of others. 



Considerable attention was also given to the various remedial 

 measures employed by different growers and some diversity of 

 opinion existed. A number had isprayed their vines with 

 arsenate of lead and also with bordeaux mixture. A few were 

 of the opinion that spraying with arsenate of lead is a very 

 efficient check on the increase of the insect, while others believe 

 that it was of comparatively little value. Mr T. S. Clymonts 

 states that spraying with the bordeaux mixture alone affords 



