52 



they would get them unless they sent a man to cut them and 

 grow them from those particular vines. 



Mr. Pounds supported the resolution. He agreed with Mr. 

 West as to bringing out seeds, because if there was truth as to 

 Tiybridization there would be no certainty as to resistant stocks, 

 and a private individual would not be able to secure the same 

 interest in the selection on the part of his correspondents abroad 

 as the G-overnment through its agency in London, who could 

 command in Germany, France, and Italy the very best care in the 

 selection of either seeds or cuttings. He thought that one of the 

 most important things at the present moment was to procure the 

 most reliable information from the European countries as to the 

 treatment of phylloxera, so as to be ready to have a thorough 

 inspection of every vine in the colony next spring. He had with 

 him the Vignero?is' Journal of the latest date, and he noticed 

 that although the phylloxera existed in Germany for twenty years 

 there had been only 181 hectares, equal to 22 acres, destroyed 

 during that time, and in Austria-Hungary they destroyed 181,000 

 lieetares during the same period. 



Mr. De Gasse. — That must be a misprint. 



Mr. Pounds. — In France there were 60,000 acres under the 

 carbon treatment. In Germany a system of zones had been 

 created ever since the discovery of phylloxera, and no vines 

 rooted or cuttings were allowed to be transferred from one zone 

 to. the other except under very stringent, regulations, and he 

 thought something of the same sort should be adopted here. 



The ChA-ikman, before putting the resolution, desired to make 

 a few remarks. The phylloxera disease had got to Bendigo, and- 

 how it got there was purely a matter of speculation ; but they' 

 knew it was there, and they must do the best they possibly could. 

 to eradicate it. Mr. Craike had spoken as if no action had been 

 taken; but Mr. Grosse had told them that immediately it waS' 

 reported (and he would compliment that gentleman as to being so 

 patriotic as to come to the Department at once, without knowing 

 whether he was going to receive compensation or not) 

 action was taken. Mr. Hopton went to Bendigo, and the 

 Department did not like to create a commission to go all over tbe 

 country till they knew to what extent the disease had spread.' 

 Had it been confined to two or three vines, or even half-an-acre, 

 surely it would have been better to have had those eradicated and 

 have said as little as possible, in order that securities in connexion . 

 -v*-ith vineyards should not be affected at the banks and other 

 places ; but of course when it was recognised that large areas of> 

 ■difierent vineyards were aflFected then there was no necessity to ' 

 keep it seci'et. The Department and its officers took every 

 possible means of dealing with the disease as it then existed,, not 

 forgetting the interest's of the people owning the .vineyards. Th^J 



