THE VINE AND ITS FRUIT. 



79 



would again persist in growing late in the antumn, 

 and so this unsatisfactory state would go on from 

 year to year, each year getting worse, as the roots 

 would be penetrating deeper into the subsoil. When 

 this perplexing and disappointing collapse sets in, 

 many years' experience justifies the assertion that 

 there is but one never-failing remedy, and that is to 

 raise the roots and re-lay them in new compost. If 

 carefully performed, and over-cropj)ing is avoided, a 

 change will take place as if by magic : but once let 

 the roots descend into the subsoil, and shanking will 

 again put in an appearance. 



In low, cold situations, where the borders are deep 

 and tenacious, the di-ainage may require turning 

 over, raising and ventilating, and the compost may 

 be made more porous and less rich by the addition of 

 an extra quantity of old lime rubble, burnt earth, or 

 road- scrapings. In such a border the growth may 

 not be so strong or pithy, but it will be hard, firm, 

 and short- jointed, and the roots will bo well ripened, 

 and capable of performing their pioper functions 

 when the stoning process again comes round. What 

 is wanted is a warm, well-drained border, full of 

 hard fibry roots that will ripen with the foliage, rest 

 with the vines — if \anes ever do rest — and produce 

 thousands of hungry mouths ready to devour plenty 

 of stimulating food when the vines are carrying a 

 crop of fruit. 



Mildew [Oidimn Tuckeni). — This fungoid growth 

 is comparatively new to grape-growers in this 

 country. It attacks the 3^oung leaves and fruit both 

 in vineries and in the open air, and if not siJeedily 

 arrested very soon destroys the crop. In cold, un- 

 favourable seasons the entire crop in wine-gro wing- 

 countries is frequently ruined by it. When mildew 

 first appears the young leaves look as though- dusted 

 over with fine white powder. From the leaves it 

 extends to the fruit, and so rapid is the progress that 

 a few days will sufiice for its spread over every vine 

 in a large house. Like all other fungoid growths, 

 although the spores may be present, it cannot make 

 any progress unless the conditions favourable to its 

 development are produced. DrjTiess at the roots, a 

 low, cold, damp atmosphere in badly-ventilated 

 houses— one or both combined are most likely to 

 bring them into acti\dty, when, if once allowed to get 

 thoroughly established, the extirpation is attended 

 with great difficulty. When mildew attacks vines 

 under glass the borders should be examined, and if at 

 all dry, thoroughly supplied with water ; then the 

 only effectual agent— flowers of sulphur — should be 

 applied, either as a wash to the hot-water pipes, or 

 in a dry state with a dredge or sulphurator. The 

 niggardly system of keeping the house close and 

 damp to save fuel must give way to liberal firing 



and judicious ventilation ; and last, but not least, 

 the most generous treatment must be given to fcli'; 

 vines. By the liberal use of water to the roots 

 and sulphur in the atmosphere, the mildew itself 

 may be arrested, but its effects remain, as the 

 cuticle is completely destroyed, turns black (Fig. 

 30), and the bei-ries soon crack and perish. In 

 gardens subject to this Oidium, prevention being- 

 better than cure, Gishurst compound or soft-soaj) 

 and sulphm- should always be used for washing the 

 vines before forcing is commenced, and sulphur 

 should be used with quicklime for A\'ashing the 

 walls. It may also be advantageously applied in 

 the form of vapour in the following manner : — 

 On a fine evening, heat the pipes until they are un- 

 comfortably warm to the hand, then paint them over 

 with a mixture of sulphur and skim milk, to which 

 a little soft-soap may be added. Air the house 

 early the following morning, and repeat the process 

 the next evening if necessary. The modern method 

 of appljdng the fumes of sulphur consists in sprink- 

 ling flowers of sulphm' over lumps of fresh-slaked 

 lime laid on the floor; but it is dangerous, and 

 should never be heated above 150° or 160°, as any- 

 thing above those figures might prove too strong 

 for the tender foliage. On no account should sulphui- 

 be sprinkled on heated irons or shovels, otherwise 

 sulphuric acid, which is produced at a tempera- 

 ture of 232", will quickly put an end to all life, 

 animal and vegetable. Neither should suljihur be 

 used on the hot pipes before the grapes are thinned, 

 as the tender cuticle of the berries is often injured 

 by the fumes. 



Rust. — This can scarcely be termed a disease, as 

 healthy vines, imder good management, are never 

 affected by it. There are several causes assigned for 

 its appearance ; first and foremost being the appli- 

 cation of sulphur to the hot pipes for the destruction 

 of spider or mildew. The sudden admission of cold 

 draughts of air when the house is veiy hot, and the 

 tender young berries are moist, and most sensitive 

 to rapid depressions of temperature, will also bring- 

 about this affection ; while touching- the berries with 

 perspiring hands during the process of thinningj or 

 rubbing- them with the hair when working amongst 

 them, anything in fact of a greasy natm-e, which 

 injures the tender cuticle, results in rust. The berries 

 do not, however, cease to swell, but they never lay 

 on bloom, and look very unsightly and unwholesome 

 as they grow older, and the roughness of the skin 

 becomes fully developed. To avoid the pernicious 

 influence of antidotes for other diseases, sulphur 

 should not be applied to the' pipes, if it can be 

 avoided, until after the grapes are stoned, and then 

 it should be applied when the berries are thoroughly 



