THE ENEMIES OF THE VINE. 



55 



unhappily, there still remains a host of miscellaneous evils, such as 

 scorching, sunstroke, spot upon the berries, cracking, rust, and, 

 worst of all, shanking. But time would fail me to enlarge on 

 these, and they form quite a separate subject. Shanking 

 especially (which some believe to be a local disease of the footstalk, 

 while others refer it to failure of the supply of nourishment in 

 the final effort) is a malady not as yet understood, or at any rate 

 not yet thoroughly explained, by the most accomplished vinitor. 

 I speak in the presence of many far better entitled to speak than 

 I am, but I think they will all agree with me that it seldom or 

 never attacks the produce of a young luxuriant Vine, well treated 

 and wisely restricted in its generous endeavours. 



Finally, lest I shank myself, I beg to be taken within my 

 limit, and as offering only my own crude fruit ; for I write from 

 recollection only, without opening a book, except Mr. Barron's. 

 And if I have added to no man's knowledge, I may have suggested 

 to more than one to put into better and larger form the results 

 of his deeper experience. 



Dr. Mastees said that Mr. Blackmore had painted the enemies 

 of the Grape-vine in a most able manner, and he was sure that 

 all had listened with the greatest pleasure while he had done so 

 in his humorous way. As to these pests, he said that gardeners 

 were able to continually watch the Vine, and thus learn every- 

 thing about them, but beyond this very little information was 



Fig. 5. From the Gardeners' Chronicle. 

 Fig. 6. From Mr. Barron's work on the Vine. 



Fig. G. — Mealy-bug. 



Discussion. 



