85 
l ^ 
; rious, and amounting in fact to one of the established and 
jized diseases of the vine; but in this country nothing of the 
as hitherto been reported. On the 15th May, in a vineyard 
ormal, belonging to the Phoenix nursery, I observed two grape 
|>f the variety known as “Taylor’s Bullet,” the leaves of which 
uriously curled and crumpled, on some of the vines scarcely 
remaining unaffected. A careful examination of the injured 
is under a microscope, demonstrated the existence on the 
surface of the leaves, of considerable numbers of a minute 
>tus having the general appearance of that described from 
ian vineyards; and a further search in this vineyard showed 
J number of other vines more or less seriously affected, some 
f young Clintons being in fact so extensively diseased that 
a leaf could be found which did not give evidence of the 
ee of the mite. 
1 Concords immediately adjoining, and other thick-leaved and 
varieties, there seemed to be neither trace of the injury nor 
Pliytoptus. It is possible, however, that the mites were 
y present on these leaves, but that these varieties were not 
(tible to injury by them. Owing to the thick felt of hairs 
the leaf surface, it would have been extremely difficult to 
I ffrate the mites even if they had been present in considerable 
trs. 
injury presents the form of peculiar warty elevations upon 
per surface of the leaf, and corresponding depressions on the 
surface, these varying in size from one-twentieth to one-tenth 
inch in diameter, although adjacent elevations are frequently 
■ into irregular patches of much greater size. The larger 
M the leaf did not share in this deformity, and the effect 
iy distortion such as might result from a shortening of these 
and the consequent folding and crumpling of the leaf, 
seased leaves were much smaller than natural, and were fre- 
7 more or less folded together lengthwise, and the edges were 
mietimes considerably incurved. On the older foliage, where 
ury was of longer standing, the elevations on the upper sur- 
ere more or less browned or reddened, but when fresh they 
till the natural green of the plant. Many elevated spots upon 
eaves were pale, sometimes almost transparent, owing to the 
ve formation of the chlorophyll—a complete demonstration of 
erference with the function of the leaf and the consequent 
ipon the vigor of the plant, produced by these parasites. 
European writers describe and figure a peculiar development 
ormal hairs (technically called an erineum) upon th6 concave 
is of the diseased patches on the leaves, but in the Clintons 
tylors nothing of this sort occurred, the inner surfaces of the 
(as these morbid elevations are called) being entirely smooth 
stitute of pubescence of every kind. It is possible that the 
8 of an erineum was due to the early period at which the 
was observed, but I think it more likely that it is to be ac- 
I for either as due to the difference in species of the Ameri- 
d the European grapes and the consequent difference in the 
n of the leaf from the injuries inflicted, or else that the 
of Phytoptus occurring here is not actually identical with 
ij 
* 
