116 BULLETIN 903, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 
lumps of earth and roots were partially buried in the soil of a pot 
containing a young sound vine (Pierce Isabella). The earth and 
roots exposed to the sun quickly dried up and no infestation to the 
vine resulted. It may be stated that the diameters of the lumps 
varied from one-half to 2 inches. On June 4 the experiment was re- 
peated, but the infested fibrous rootlets were wrapped loosely in four 
lumps of earth with diameters 1J to 2 inches, and half buried in the 
soil of a pot having a sound vine (Cornichon) growing in it. The 
rootlets kept in good condition and the phylloxeras lived four days 
(one of which was cloudy and rainy). On September 3 it was found 
that the vine showed a rather scanty infestation. On July 16 many 
strongly infested fleshy rootlets found in the vineyard, from 4 to 8 
inches below the soil surface, were inclosed in a large piece of earth, 
half buried in the soil of a pot in which grew a sound vine (Carignan) . 
On September 3 the vine was found to be strongly infested, especially 
on its upper rootlets near the inner periphery of the pot. On July 17 
the experiment of the day previous was repeated in its entirety, with 
a Pierce Isabella vine, and on September 3 this vine was found to be 
severely infested, bearing many nodosities both on the upper and 
lower rootlets. Thus in three out of four attempts success was ob- 
tained in securing an infestation upon sound vines by placing pieces 
of infested rootlets in lumps of soil half buried in the earth of the 
pots in which those vines were growing. In practice it would very 
frequently happen that such rootlets severed by a cultural instru- 
ment would be buried several inches deep after being dragged along 
by the instrument. It is easy to understand how the insect might 
be diffused in this manner. 
VINE SUPPORTS AND PICKING BOXES. 
Vine supports or stakes (universally used), by reason of the fact 
that they enter the soil contiguous to the main stem of the vine, 
are very likely to bear phylloxeras upon them. Since the newly 
hatched larvae can live for at least three days, and probably many 
more, out of the soil and when not exposed to the sun's rays, it is 
apparent that infested stakes could be transferred to a considerable 
distance and when set out in a vineyard upon their arrival could be 
the origin of phylloxera infestation. 
Many growers have declared that in their vineyards the phyl- 
loxeras first showed evidence of their presence at a point or points 
where picking boxes coming from infested vineyards had been piled. 
If picking boxes were scattered in an infested vineyard during the 
time of the aerial wanderer migration, one can readily see that the 
opportunity would be afforded for the phylloxeras to climb upon 
them, later to be transported to other vineyards, since it is a common 
