﻿I3S FIELD AND FOREST. 



It would be unjust to those who have been working in the same field 

 to close these brief statements without referring to the very liberal 

 contributions made to the National Museum by Capt. J. M. Dow of 

 the Pacific Mail Service, as also Dr. Van Patten, formerly of Washing- 

 ington, who likewise deserves honorable mention. More recently Dr. 

 J. F. Bransford, U. S. N., whilst engaged in official duty near the 

 lake, has made very extensive and important collections that are now 

 in the Museum, but as his explorations will be the subject of an official 

 report to his Department, it would be improper to forestall any part of 

 it by a more extended reference. 



E. Foreman. 



Phylloxera Vastatrix. 



Under the heading " New remedies for the Phylloxera," in a recent 

 issue of Field and Forest, it is recommended to plant maize between 

 the rows of grape vines, that by so doing, the vines will be shielded 

 from the ravages of the insects, which prefer the corn roots as an article 

 of diet, and consequently the grape roots are abandoned. This infer- 

 ence is somewhat shaken, however, in the assertion that " the roots 

 of maize planted in a field, alongside the vineyard, did not present any 

 trace of the Phylloxera;" leaving a faint suspicion that the disappear- 

 ance of the insects might be attributable to some other cause than that 

 of their preference to the roots of the cereal. In another sense it is 

 comforting to be assured that the corn crop is in no immediate danger 

 of annihilation by these insects, and I have no doubt but that this 

 remedy is equally efficacious, and practically as potent, as the numer- 

 ous other recipes that have been so freely and zealously communicated 

 of late for the destruction of Phylloxera. 



It is not uncommon, in the investigation of phenomena connected 

 with the diseases of plants, to mistake a consequence for a cause, and 

 in the present position of the practical application of scientific conclu- 

 sions the mistake is a very pardonable one indeed. 



This is notably exemplified in the history of the Phylloxera, this 

 insect having been blamed for results of which it was entirely innocent, 

 and with which it had not even the most remote connection ; at least 

 as a primary cause. 



