NEW VINE SOOUEGE. 203 
tion from French authorities," it does not thence 
follow that the authorities from whom he compiled are 
unworthy of credit. So far from this being the case, 
I am inclined to believe, from the positions which 
several of them filled in the Bordelais and in the 
valley of the Rhone, that they were men selected on 
account of their practical or scientific knowledge to 
report on the subject. With this reservation, I agree 
with Mr. Crawfurd in considering both the tone and 
the statements of the pamphlet very exaggerated; 
and, moreover, as I now see that many of the articles 
in the local newspaper from which, as I informed your 
Lordship, I drew the chief materials of my despatch,' 
were based upon the contents of this pamphlet, I trust 
that the grounds on which Mr. Crawfurd expects that 
the Portuguese vineyards will enjoy an immunity, 
total or partial, from the scourge may prove correct. 
In reference to the case specially mentioned in the 6th 
page of Mr. Crawford's Report, it is a curious circum- 
stance that I have, within the last few weeks had one 
precisely similar in my garden in Lisbon. An old, 
strong, healthy, and hitherto very fruitful vine began" 
suddenly to wear a sickly appearance, the leaves began 
to wither, and to assume first a yellow, and then a 
reddish appearance. My gardener had never seen this 
or any other vine in my garden attacked in a similar 
manner (although we are obliged to sulphur all our 
vines several times yearly to preserve them against 
Oidium) • so, thinking that I had received my first 
visit from the Phylloxera, I desired my gardener to 
uncover and carefully examine the roots, but they 
appeared perfectly sound and healthy, and the disease, 
which has destroyed this year's crop of fruit and leaves, 
U 
