BOOK SECOND. 



DISEASES AND CASUALTIES TO WHICH THE VINE IS 

 IJABLE : WITH THE MODE OF PREVENTION & CURE 



CHAPTER I. 



OF FROST. 



As the Vine is a native of warm climates, frost is the most likei} 

 and the most common enemy it has to encounter. It is the early fall 

 frosts that disorganize the shoots not yet completely hardened into 

 wood ; the greatest ravages are caused by these late attacks, which 

 result often in immedicable injuries to the fruit«bearing branches. 

 Hard winter frosts are by no means as dangerous; they never, at least 

 in France, hurt any vines but those in low grounds and cold soils. 

 Nature has supplied the bud of the Vine with a species of downy co- 

 vering, and as it contains scarcely any watery secretion it has not 

 much to fear from the cold. It is an extremely rare case for the Vine 

 to be frozen entirely ; when it is only the stems that have suffered, 

 they are pruned just before the rise of the sap. Spring frosts, some- 

 times, have serious consequences when they are very heavy and very 

 late ; more generally, however, they have but a slight effect upon 

 the shoots. 



To prevent the all-important shoot from being nipped by the frost, 

 the Vine-dresser follows this plan. He puts between the rows, and 

 along the edges of the vine-yards, on the windward side, heaps of dry 

 grass and dead leaves, litter, spoiled hay ; these are covered over with 

 wet brush, and a little earth; and are set on fire an hour before 

 sunrise. The thick smoke intercepts the rays of the sun, warms the 

 air, and melts the frost into dew. This is tke means used on the 



