THE GRAPE VINE. 1 29 



in a wine-glassful of water proved instant death to them, 

 and a very weak solution of Condy's iiuid had the same 

 effect. In fact, everything that I have learned of this 

 insect goes to prove that it is very easily killed when 

 it can be got at. 



Numerous experiments have been tried to see if it 

 would attack or live on other fruit-trees besides the 

 vine. A currant-bush and a fig were planted among the 

 roots of the vines on which the insect was in legions. 

 These fruits were allowed to remain in the vine for weeks, 

 and they pushed out quantities of young rootlets into 

 the very centre of the pests' strongest hold, but not one 

 insect could be found adhering to either the currant or 

 the iig. A young vine planted where the insect was not 

 considered so numerous was attacked by it in legions. 

 Pieces of vine-roots swarming with the pest were laid 

 on a board, and around them and touching them were 

 placed fresh pieces of the roots of the peach, the cherry, 

 the pear, the gooseberry, black currant, and the plum. 

 The whole were covered with some soil, and a large 

 bell-glass placed over them, and left for fourteen 

 days : at the end of that time the whole were ex- 

 amined minutely through the microscope, but not 

 one insect had gone on to the roots of these fruits. 

 On to a piece of vine-root that was put along with them 

 in a clean state they did go. These experiments go to 

 prove that Phylloxera does not care so much for any of 

 these fruits as it does for the vine. On pieces of vine- 

 roots laid upon the same board — not covered with soil, but 

 merely covered with a bell-glass — the insect was found 

 quite shrivelled up and dead. Tobacco-smoke, however 

 strong, does not seem to affect it ; for I placed the insect 

 in a glass vessel and filled it as full of tobacco-smoke 

 as it could be, but it remained alive. 



I 



