62 DECIDUOUS FRUIT INSECTS AND INSECTICIDES. 
A BRIEF CONSIDERATION OF VINEYARD CONDITIONS. 
During the past eight or ten years changes have occurred in both 
market conditions and in the age, area, and productivity of vine- 
yards throughout the Lake Erie valley, which deserve brief consid- 
eration for full appreciation of the present active interest of vine- 
yardists in this insect problem. 
In 1900, when the grape root-worm first appeared in injurious 
numbers in the Lake Erie valley, the grape industry was just emer- 
ging from a period of depression which had caused, for several years 
previous, an almost complete cessation in planting of new vineyards. 
The period of low prices had resulted in indifferent care, amounting 
in some cases to positive neglect, thus creating a condition very favor- 
able to the increase of this pest. The tendency of most vineyardists 
at that time was to pull out declining vineyards rather than to go to 
the expense of fighting insect foes. Furthermore, the fact that prac- 
tically all vineyards had been for several years in bearing and had a 
well-established root system permitted the insect to become thoroughly 
disseminated through them before the unsuspecting owners were 
aware of its presence in numbers sufficient to affect the vigor of their 
vines. Thus it happened that a combination of circumstances con- 
spired to favor a general spread of the insect without creating wide- 
spread alarm. 
With the steady rise in the anne of grapes since 1900, however, 
this condition has been reversed. iusto of acres of new vine- 
yards have been planted, and the more progressive vineyardists are 
commencing to appreciate fully what an enormous amount of injury 
has been done to their old vineyards, and are greatly alarmed at the 
sapidity with which many young vineyards are falling a prey to this 
pest. 
A study of the production of grapes in the Lake Erie valley since 
the advent of the grape root-worm shows a steady decline in yield. 
The figures given below are taken from the “ Chautauqua Grape 
Belt,” a newspaper which is largely devoted to the grape interests of 
that region, and every year publishes carefully gathered statistics on 
grape production. 
Grape crop production from 1900 to 1907. 
Carloads. 
Yield -for A900». So Siete ee eee 5 ots: ete ae ee 8, 000 
BOD ce Bice ha Bk Se Is ie ee ee 6, 669 
PQQ 2 sa se ie LS a ee ne te 5, 062 
190382 ee Ln Ee Be SE oat ae eee ee ee 2, 954 
1904__ SE a) Se see eels NS weeny eM LS 7,479 
U9O5 cee ee ee ee ee ee 5, 365 
19062 2 es ee 5, 463 
