THE GRAPE 227 
brushing them into a can of kerosene. To keep 
them out of the bunches, wrap loose bands of 
cotton around the shoots on each side of the 
bunch. Although the mealy bugs cannot crawl 
over the cotton, their friends, the ants, can carry 
them over it. To destroy these accomplices, 
place small pieces of raw meat in the house and 
every day drop them into kerosene. This may 
seem a lot of work, but any one who has fought 
mealy bugs for the possession of a grapery will 
understand the necessity for it. 
The worst disease of the grape is shanking, 
in which the berries dry up and drop from the 
canes; sometimes it is but a few berries, some- 
times a whole bunch, and occasionally the entire 
crop. Itis caused by over-cropping or some con- 
stitutional weakness resulting from improper 
treatment, such as cold, wet borders, too sudden 
changes of temperature, etc. There is no remedy 
after the disease has started, but efficient preven- 
tive measures consist simply of care and good 
management, as outlined earlier in the chapter. 
Careless handling of the grapery, such as 
letting the atmosphere get very hot and dry, or 
leaving the house closed too late in the morning, 
may alsoresultinsunburn. A less serious disease, 
or, rather, undesirable condition is indicated by 
