November i, 1 889 1 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
327 
to me to be of indisputable force, — particulary as 
regards the all-important consideration of expense ; 
seeing that the cost, admittedly considerable, of re- 
planting a vineyard is done once for all, whereas 
treatment by insecticides is an operation requiring 
annual renewal without assignable limit. 
The Commission reported favourably on the wine 
produced directly from American vines, grown in large 
areas in the more Southern Departments, particularly 
commending those yielded by the two varieties of 
Witts aestivalis, called " Jacquez " and " Herbemont," 
and expressed the anticipation that they would replace, 
to a considerable extent, the coarser descriptions of 
vin ordinaire and vin du midi. In company with Mr. 
Thiselton Dyer, I on several occasions tasted the two 
wines named (as well as others of similar derivation), 
and we agreed that both were extremely harsh and 
unpalatable— suggesting the mixed flavours of vinegar 
and mulberry juice— though concurring with the 
Gommisssion so far, that, of the two, the Herbemont 
was preferable. Doubtless, however, wine of this rough 
type, however distasteful to a cultivated palate, will 
not be unacceptable in a country whore the poorest 
peasants, and even their children, use wine as their 
habitual drink, and it will at any rate be infinitely 
preferable to the watered and otherwise adulterated 
fluids with which it has of late become the practice 
to endeavour to supply the great and unceasing demand 
for ordinary wine. 
More interest, however, attaches to the American 
vines as the bearers of European grafts, for every- 
thing points to the conclusion that it is by their use 
as stocks that most of the better classes of wines will 
in future be preserved to us. All the evidence col- 
lected goes to shew that for this purpose the kinds 
above mentioned, viz., the varieties of V. riparia 
known as " Clinton," " Concord," etc., and the variety 
of V. 1 'abrusca, called "York's Madeira," are best adap- 
ted, alike for vigour of growth and practical indemnity 
from Phylloxera. It is important to observe, in relation 
to this particular subject, that the growth of seedlings 
of the wild species of American vines — initiated by Pro- 
fessor Millardet, in 1874— has now been shown to be 
far superior in its results to planting cuttings of the 
cultivated varieties of those vines. It appears that 
the desired qualities are so largely characteristic of 
young plants grown from seed of the wild vines in 
question, owing to their root-system being so much more 
fully developed, that it is worth the grower's while to 
wait the additional twelve months (three years being 
necessary for seedlings as against two years for cuttings) 
before grafting is effected. 
Another mode of securing vines of good quality and 
power of resistance, which originated in America, is 
that of crossing the European and American species. 
The Commission reported that the results in America 
had been favourable as far as they had gone : while 
in France the red hybrid " Othello," and the white 
hybrid " Elvira," were especially mentioned as having 
been cultivated with success on a considerable scale. 
The latter hybrid was described as yielding a good 
wine, well adapted for the production of brandy. 
I availed myself, with much satisfaction, of the 
opportunity of becoming acquainted with the living 
Phylloxera, and of noting the effects of its attacks 
on the roots and fine rootlets of the vine. It is true 
that the admirably accurate descriptions and figures 
published by the French eutomologists, and especially 
those given by Dr. Maxime Cornu, in the well-known 
' Etudes," printed by the Academy of Sciences, would 
amply suffice, to any one conversant with insects,for 
ule tifying the destroyer; but nevertheless it is an 
undeniable advantage to have examined the insect 
itself, on i( s food plant, as the best possible descriptions, 
ami figures fail to give the same exact impression- ia's 
that, which is derive I form actual inspection of the 
living examples. 
1 had hoped to have met Dr. Cornu at the Con- 
gress, Iml was disappointed as attendance at the Berne 
Phylloxera Conference rendered his absence unavoid- 
able. I had, however, the good fortune to make the 
personal acquaintance of M. Lichtenstein and Professor 
2anchon, both highly distinguished savans, whose 
researches in connection with Phylloxera have been of 
the greatest value. M. Lichtenstein has specially de- 
voted himself to tracing the extraordiuary life-history 
of the insect through all its stages, — an arduous task 
for which his studies of the allied species of Phyll- 
oxera and of other Aphides, rendered him specially 
qualified. Professor Planchon iu 1873 visited the 
United States, and made a thorough investigation of 
the indigenous vines (wild and cultivated), and of the 
Phylloxera in its native home; and he completely 
confirmed Professor Riley's view (also founded on an 
examination of the insect, both in America and France) 
of the absolute identity of the European ravager with 
the American species. The publications ot M. M. 
Planchon and Lichtenstein have been of the utmost 
importance, contributing most effectually to the es- 
tablishment of the successful methods of withstanding 
the Phylloxera, which are now in general use. 
I was desirous of obtaining the opinions of these 
authors, so especially conversant with the Phylloxera 
in every point of view, as to the necessity of the ex- 
treme'y stringent regulations by which, with the view 
of preventing the introduction of the insect, all living 
plants, tubers, roots, bulbs, etc, were prohibited from 
importation at the Cape. I accordingly took the 
opportunity, in the course of conversation, of stating 
how matters stood. I found these gentle men somewhat 
incredulous as to the condemnation of orchids from Rio 
de Janeiro, ferns from New Zealand, and other like 
instances, well-known here; but when I mentioned 
that such articles as moss and peat had also been 
seized, they found it so difficult to suppose that I 
was not exaggerating, or, at any rate, mistaken, 
that I felt gl*d to have Mr. Thiselton Dyer (whose 
recent shipment of peat from Kevv was one of the 
seized consigmeuts) at hand to sustain my credit ! 
Being acquainted with M. Licht '.ostein's observations 
as to the power of Phylloxera and other Aphides of 
resisting great cold, I inquired his opinion as to their 
ability to withstand a high degree of heat. He said 
that he considered it most probable that the insect 
would survive great heat. I then put the case of 
the possibility of the stray Phylloxera (or the winter 
egg) imagined by Dr. Cornu, in his reports to the 
Cape Government, as possibly being introduced on 
ship-board, although their only food-plant, the vine, 
were wholly absent; and asked whether during the 
unwonted stimulus of a high temperature, which, for 
a fortnight at least, the voyage to the Cape would 
involve, the insect's need of food would not natura ly 
be increased, and the total absence of that food lead 
to its speedy decease. M. Lichtenstein admitted that 
he had not hitherto had occasion to consider the 
question of the over-ocean transport of the insect, 
under the conditions I had pointed out, and also 
that he thought the passage through the Tropics 
materially affected the question ; but he was not 
prepared to pronounce any decided opinion. On 
the whole question, he thought that moderate res- 
trictive measures were very desirable. 
I Discussed the same matters with Professor 
Planchon, who most kindly agreed to give me his 
written opinion, in response to a memorandum with 
which I furnished him. This he subsequently sent 
me frotn Montpellier, authorising me to make what 
ever use of it I deemed desirable ; and I have much 
pleasure, in appending a copy to this report. [Marked 
A. (Translation) ; dated 27th October, 1881.] It will 
be observed that Prof. Planchon, while lully approv- 
ing of the exclusion of vines, is distinctly opposed 
to our shutting out other plants; pointing out, in- 
deed that the Phylloxera is so strictly confined 
to the species of the true genus I'itis, that 
it may be deemed an excess of precaution to 
prohibit the introduction of the whole vine family 
(Ampelidece). But he recommends, as a practical 
method of avoiding what risk there may poseibly 
attach to the admission of living plants, other than 
the vine, that with each consignment of this nature 
should be required a certificate, giving the locality 
whence the plants were derived, and showing that 
they are not brought from a phylloxerized region. 
And as regards the United Kingdom, where »,the 
