172 FRriT. 



been in contact with houses and dirty tanks, cannot be used 

 without leaving marks on the berries. The safe course is to 

 examine the leaves carefully previous to the fruit colouring. 

 If they are quite clear of red spider, little danger may be 

 apprehended from it aftemards. Thrips are also injurious to 

 the vine. They attack and weaken the leaves and disfigure 

 the berries, but are far more easily removed than spider. 

 Fumigating two or three times on alternate evenings will 

 sufBce to kill or keep them in check. 



AU the light possible should be admitted to Muscats and 

 tl lick-skinned grapes when they are colouring, by putting the 

 leave.s aside, taking care that the direct rays of the mid-day 

 .sun do not strike on the berries, as it is apt to discolour them. 

 The condensation of moisture on the berries must also be pre- 

 vented by keeping the pipes moderately warm at night and 

 increasing the ventilation in the morning before the tempera- 

 ture rises. Although the atmosphere of the house may appear 

 to be perfectly dry, there is always more or less moisture in it, 

 which heats sooner than the berries, and a deposition of dew 

 immediately takes place on the cooler surface, which soon eva- 

 porates and leaves a mark on the bloom. 



Beside the effects of the pests already enumerated, grapes 

 are liable to suffer from attacks of mildew, rust, scalding, and 

 other complaints, which disfigure their appearance and reduce 

 their competitive value. 



Mildew is an insidious disea.se, and its presence is some- 

 times not easily accounted for. Certain atmospheric influences 

 accelerate its progress, such as a damp, close, sultry air, while 

 even extreme dryness favours its spi'ead. Its appearance on 

 the leaves resembles specks of pale grey powder, and it is 

 sometimes found on the berries when the leaves are healthy 

 and clean. When first observed, flowers of sulphur should at 

 once be applied with an elastic puff, and if the berries are kept 

 dry, the sulphur can be blown clean off them. 



Piust is produced by injury to the cuticle of the berry 

 whilst young and tender. Its appearance is attributed to 

 various cau.ses, such as the application of sulphur to hot-water 

 pipes, the handling of the berries while thinning, a cold cur- 



