NEW VINE SCOURGE. 297 
It will easily be concluded from these facts that the 
-conditions of the growth of the vine in Northern 
Portugal are by no means favorable to the development 
of Phylloxera vastatrix. 
Senhor Oliveira, junior, mentions two instances of 
the ravages of the insect in the port wine district. In 
one of these cases, the yield of wine was reduced from 
sixty pipes to eight pipes in two years, but in neither 
case was it clearly proved that the destruction was the 
work of Phylloxera vastatrix. The roots of the 
plants in the above-cited instances were indeed found 
to be decayed, but no insects were discovered, and no 
particulars of the age of the vines, depth of soil, or 
character of the exposure, are given in either case. It 
is clear that such statements have no scientific value 
at all, and that the loss, in these cases, may have been 
•due to other and older enemies of the vine. 
I have inquired of several extensive vine-growers in 
the Alto Douro (the port wine district), and I can learn 
of no undoubted case of the appearance of Phylloxera 
vastatrix. One gentleman of great experience was 
inclined to think that the vine has for many years 
been subject to a disease, the symptoms of which 
correspond to the appearance said to be produced by 
the ravages of the insect. He had lately rooted up 
vines of his own, whose leaves were withered and 
yellow, but in no case were the roots in any way 
affected. He mentioned having seen, in the month of 
May of this year, a vineyard in which, in four days, 
the leaves had changed from a healthy green to the 
colour and appearance of the common zonal geranium, 
but here, unfortunately, no further examination was 
made. 
