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Mr. Deapee said he had grown the American vines from 

 seeds. They would be very weak for two or three years from the 

 .seedlings ; he believed the cuttings would be the best way. He 

 had five or six of the American varieties, and had had them for 

 several years and had had experience in growing them, and he 

 would say — "Send for the cuttings instead of the seed"; they 

 could not possibly graft them for two years on the seedlings. 



Mr. Kavai>iagh said that some years ago a Parliamentary com- 

 mittee in France reported on phylloxera, and recommended that 

 submerging the vineyards for 40 days during the dormant state 

 would kill all the phylloxera that was in it. He thought that a 

 very important matter. In the Goulburn Valley there were 

 thousands of acres that could be flgoded during the proper time 

 at a very cheap rate. That committee also reported that, although 

 the phylloxera got on the vine roots when they were planted a 

 wide distance apart (10 x 10), it had no effect to deteriorate or 

 reduce the quantity of crop grown on the vines. He ga^e the 

 Government every credit for the assistance they had given the 

 vignerons throughout the colony. Without the bonus system 

 there would have been thousands of acres less planted. In many 

 instances the Government could assist an industry to the benefit 

 of the State as well as the individual. 



Mr. De Gasse said he had personal knowledge as to the sub- 

 mersion of vineyards on the river banks. Syndicates had been 

 formed amongst the vignerons themselves for the purpose. At 

 first the experiments were made for 50 days of submersion in the 

 winter time. It was done as much as possible before the pruning 

 and early enough to give time for the operation. It did not kill 

 the phylloxera the first year, but it was greatly diminished ; the 

 Second year it had more effect; but the third year a few vines 

 were still found affected, but they were living as well as the 

 others. This had to be done every year, and it was practicable 

 only where cheap irrigation could be applied. If the ground was 

 level it was easy and cost very little ; 50 or 70 acres could be 

 flooded in a fortnight or a week, but the water had to be kept on 

 for 40 days. At the last meeting of the Viticulture Commission, 

 at Montpelier, all these subjects were broached, and the experts 

 came to the conclusion that 40 days' submersion was necessary, 

 and that it was possible to give a fortnight's submersion just 

 after the vintage and leave it there for one month, and then start 

 again for another fortnight. 



Mr. Headdet pointed out that not one vineyard in a hundred 

 (iould be submerged. As to importing seeds, the vines were not 

 cultivated to produce the seed, but for cuttings. If he sent to a 

 nursery for a hundred trees they sent any sort, and there were only 

 two or three sorts out of twenty vines that were resistant. How 

 could they tell that they would get them ? He did not believe 



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