310 



ately in receptacles containing a leaf of the plum, thickly dusted with 

 London purple. At 8 p. m., 3 hours later, nearly all seemed to be 

 affected, but were removed and placed separately in clean quarters, 

 and each provided with a fresh plum. At 11 a. m. next day many 

 were dead, the remainder surviving but a few hours longer, but in no 

 case were eggs deposited in the fruit. — [October 1, 1889.] 



THE PHYLLOXERA PROBLEM ABROAD AS IT APPEARS TO-DAY. 



The report of the Superior Phylloxera Commission has just been 

 published and gives the latest account of Phylloxera matters in France 

 and other foreign countries. Neither law nor effort has prevented the 

 spread of the insect in eleven arrondissements in which it made its ap- 

 pearance for the first time the past year, viz : Oastellane, Mende, Riom, 

 Joigny, Troyes, Nogent-sur- Seine, Bar-sur-Aube, Yesoul, Gray, Bonne- 

 ville, and St. Calais. About 240,000 acres have undergone defensive 

 measures, submersion being employed in 72,000, bisulphide of carbon 

 in 145,000, and sulpho-carbonate of potassium in 23,000. 



Much good has resulted from the establishment of societies for de- 

 fense, notably in Haute-Loire. Moreover, it is the small proprietor who 

 derives the largest benefit from the law enacted August 2, 1879. Of 

 twenty-one thousand three hundred and ninety-four proprietors com- 

 posing a syndicate, each attended to about 4£ acres. 



The departments in which vine cultivation is extensive, such as Her- 

 ault, Gard, and Gironde, contain fewer syndicates for the reason that 

 their Phylloxera work is practically at an end. Each year has shown 

 an increasing acreage of reconstituted vineyards, mostly by means of 

 American stocks, which prove more and more satisfactory and which 

 justify the commission in prophesying the near approach of the time 

 when vine-culture will be as widespread as it was before the era of the 

 Phylloxera. The following approximate tabular statement will be in- 

 teresting in this connection : 



Tears. 



1881 

 1882 

 1883 

 1884 



1885 



American 



Depart- 



covered. 



ments. 



Acres. 





22, 000 



17 



42, 700 



22 



70, 000 



28 



131, 909 



34 



188, 200 



34 



Years. 



1887 

 1*88 



American 



vines 

 covered. 



Acres. 

 276, 900 

 413, 700 

 536, 900 

 719, 500 



Depart- 

 ments. 



If the march of recovery continue at this ratio, in four years vine- 

 planted land in France will reach the unprecedented amount of 6,500,- 

 000 acres. Herault presents 380,000 acres of renewed vineyards ; Aude, 



