320 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
Mildew on the Grape Vine. 
Grape Mildew makes its first appearance as 
whitish patches on the underside of the leaves. 
Soon after, the upper surface directly over these 
spots turns yellowish. After a while, that portion 
of the leaf turns brown, dies, and breaks away, 
leaving a hole. The mouldy appearance may, later, 
appear on the young shoots, on the steins of the 
fruit clusters, and on the fruit itself. Whoever 
has a vine, should be on the watch for the whitish 
blotches on the leaves, and at once arrest the 
trouble by the use of the proper remedy. Mildew 
is an exceedingly minute plant, so small that its 
parts can only be seen by the aid of a powerful 
microscope. In April last (page 181) there was 
given an account of the potato rot; it was shown, 
that this disease was due to a microscopic fungus, 
which lived in, and fed upon, the leaves of the po¬ 
tato plant. A magnified illustration of the plant 
was there given, showing the manner in which it 
grows among the cells of the potato leaf. Mildew 
of the grape is due to a minute plant which, in a 
similar manner, lives within the substance of the 
grape leaf, and, like that, it belongs to the immense 
class of plants, known as fungi. Mildew became 
so destructive in European vineyards, that before a 
remedy was found, whole grape-growing neighbor¬ 
hoods were depopulated. At last it was discovered 
that the fungus could be completely controlled by 
the proper use of sulphur, and where this is system¬ 
atically applied, mildew is no longer dreaded. 
While the mildew common in this country is not 
precisely the same plant as that so destructive in 
Europe, it is controlled by the same treatment, and 
the use of sulphur is now common in American 
vineyards. A bellows invented in France for the 
application of sulphur, is now in common use here. 
It is a strong, small bellows, provided with a wide 
tin nozzle (a), which curves at the end, and is termi¬ 
nated by a flaring portion, as shown in the figure. 
The bellows has not, like the ordinary kitchen im¬ 
plement, a valve or “ clapper,” but a hole (6) at the 
upper side, an inch and a half in diameter, closed 
by a cork. At the end of the nozzle is a piece of 
wire gauze, to prevent lumps of sulphur from being 
blown out. A convenient quantity of sifted flowers 
of sulphur is introduced by means of the hole, 
which is then tightly stopped by the cork. Work¬ 
ing the bellows with short, quick strokes, will 
cause the sulphur to be blown out as a fine 
cloud of dust. As the air is drawn in as well as ex¬ 
pelled through the nozzle, the sulphur is kept from 
clogging it, and one can soon learn to fill the air 
near the vines with a dust of sulphur, which settles 
on every part of them. The nozzle being turned 
up, it allows the sulphur to be blown upon the 
underside of the leaves, which is important. In 
vineyards, sulphur is applied at regular intervals, 
the times depending upon the locality and season. 
The application is made on a still day, and should 
a rain occur soon after, it is renewed. Bellows of 
this kind are sold at the implement and seed stores, 
and in a large vineyard several are kept in use. If 
one has but a few vines, he may not care to pur¬ 
chase such a bellows. A substitute may be found 
in what is called in Europe the “ Grape-vine Torch.” 
This is a convenient tin vessel, with a handle; 
the bottom is covered with fine wire gauze, and the 
top has an opening for introducing sulphur, closed 
by a cap. Sulphur being placed in the “Torch,” 
which is much like a dredging-box or large pepper 
box, it may, by a proper use of the implement, be 
shaken out to form a cloud of dust, though less 
easily and effectively than with the bellows. Those 
who possess such a relie of the past as a kitchen 
bellows, can convert it into a substitute for the 
French pattern. The small nozzle should be re¬ 
placed by a curved tin one, across the mouth of 
which may be placed a piece of wire cloth, though 
this is not essential. The usual valve or clapper 
should be cut away (letting it remain inside, unless 
the leather is partly removed to allow it to be taken 
out), and the opening fitted with a cork. It is well 
to sift the sulphur, to remove all lumps, before 
putting it into the bellows, and where much is to 
be used, to contrive some convenient way for re¬ 
newing the supply in the vineyard. The applica¬ 
tion is made on the first appearance of mildew, and 
repeated every few days so long as any new patches 
are discovered. 
Trade and Agricultural Value of 
Fertilizers. 
The trade value of a fertilizer is not necessarily 
proportional to its crop-producing power, in any 
especial case, and varies with the state of the 
market. The following Table gives the New York 
prices for potash, phosphoric acid, and nitrogen, 
the three leading elements of commercial fertilizers. 
These prices have been agreed upon by Profes¬ 
sor S. W. Johnson, Director of the Connecticut Ex¬ 
periment Station, Prof. C. A. Goessman, State 
Chemist of Massachusetts, and Prof. G. H. Cook, 
Director of the New Jersey Experiment Station. 
Nitrogen in nitrates.20c. per pound. 
Nitrogen in ammonia salts.26c. “ “ 
Nitrogen in Peruvian guano, fine steamed 
bone, dried and fine ground blood, meat, 
and fish superphosphates, and special ma¬ 
nures.23c. “ “ 
Nitrogen in coarse or moist blood, meat, or 
tankage, in cotton seed and castor pomace.18c. “ “ 
Nitrogen in fine ground bone, horn and wool 
dust . 17c. “ “ 
Nitrogen in fine medium bone.15c. “ “ 
Nitrogen in coarse medium bone.13c. “ “ 
Nitrogen in coarse bone, horn shavings, hair, 
and fish scraps.11c. “ “ 
Phosphoric acid, soluble in water.He. “ “ 
Phosphoric acid, reverted and in Peruvian 
guano.8c. “ “ 
Phosphoric acid, insoluble, in fine bone, fish 
guano, and superphosphates.6c. “ •• 
Phosphoric acid, insoluble, in fine medium 
bone. 5Kc.“ “ 
Phosphoric acid, insoluble, in coarse medium 
bone. 4%c.“ “ 
Phosphoric acid, insoluble, in coarse bone, 
bone ash, and bone black. 4c. “ “ 
Phosphoric acid, insoluble, In fine ground 
rock phosphate. 2^c.“ “ 
Potash in high grade sulphate. 7c. “ 
Potash in low grade sulphate and kainit. 4%c." “ 
It is seen that, commercially, nitrpgen is the 
most costly of the three substances, and ranges 
from 26 cents per pound in the very soluble am¬ 
monia compounds to 11 cents in coarse bone, horn 
shavings, etc., from which it is only slowly dis¬ 
solved and made available to growing plants. Phos¬ 
phoric acid stands next, and varies in price from 
11 cents to 2} cents, according to its solubility. 
Phosphoric acid, soluble in water, is the character¬ 
istic ingredient of superphosphates, and is pro¬ 
duced by the action of sulphuric acid on the in¬ 
soluble phosphate. Reverted phosphoric acid is 
that acid which was once soluble, but from some 
chemical change has • become insoluble in water. 
It is much more readily assimilated by plants than 
the insoluble acid, strictly so called, and therefore 
has a higher price. The crude rock phosphate from 
South Carolina stands lowest on the list. There is 
not so much difference in the value of potash in 
its various forms. 
The agricultural value of a fertilizer is measured 
by the crop it will produce, and must therefore 
vary with the conditions under which it is placed. 
The effect of a fertilizer depends largely upon the 
kind of crops, character of soil, the weather, tillage, 
and many other varying circumstances, so that the 
crop-producing power of any special manure can 
only be determined in a general manner, and this 
must be upon a larger number of trials in various 
places, entending over several years. All who use 
fertilizers should distinguish between the two 
values pointed out. In the market the three most 
important ingredients of plant food have establish¬ 
ed values, which vary but little from year to year. 
These substances may be worth more or less than 
the market price to the farmer as a means of pro¬ 
ducing larger crops. Until all the varying condi¬ 
tions of soil, seed, weather, etc., are reduced to a 
certainty, no one can foretell the exact agricultural 
value of any commercial fertilizer. The farmer 
must count the cost in dollars and cents, estimate 
the probabilities founded on experience, and then 
try and know. 
The Thumb and Finger. 
Nothing is more characteristic of the novice in 
gardening than a reluctance to use the knife. 
Many seem to fear that they will cause pain, and 
will no more cut their pet plants than they would 
amputate the limbs of their pet aninials. Those 
who give proper attention to their plants, whether 
soft-wooded, or shrubs and trees, can avoid nearly 
all cutting by anticipating the need of it. The 
shoots of all hard-wooded shrubs and trees are, at 
first, in their early growth, as tender as those of a 
geranium. These shoots of summer will, by au¬ 
tumn, have ripened and become as hard as the rest 
of the tree or shrub. Take a favorite pear tree, 
for example. If left to itself, there will be found, 
when the leaves fall, shoots that are not wanted, 
but which, as they make a thick and crowded 
head, must be cut out. Had these shoots been 
entirely removed, or kept short by pinching off 
their tips in the summer, there would have been 
no need to use the knife. Not only fruit trees, but 
flowering shrubs, eau be greatly benefited and kept 
in shape, if the owner who works among them 
will make timely use of the thumb and finger to 
pinch off the growing points of all shoots that 
push where branches are not wanted. The same 
is true of soft-wooded plants. A timely pinching 
of the shoots will convert a geranium that would 
be long-branched and “leggy,” into a compact 
specimen, fit to remove to the window in autumn. 
The chrysanthemum is a capital subject for the 
novice to try upon, and learn how readily the 
growth of a plant can be controlled by pinching. 
A Pole Fence. 
The engraving shows the method of making a 
fence of poles, as practised by a Canadian reader. 
It is substantial, cheap, and has a rustic look. 
What may yet be Lone. 
The success of the market-gardener depends, in 
a great measure, upon keeping the soil constantly 
occupied. No portion is allowed to be idle, but as 
soon as one crop is off, another occupies its place. 
The owner of a family garden will find it to his 
advantage to follow the example of those who 
raise vegetables for market. The methods which 
are profitable for those who raise vegetables for 
sale, may be followed by those who dispose of 
their products on the family table. In the Monthly 
Notes about Work, we point out various crops that 
may be sown, and we would now enforce the point, 
that every foot of the soil in the home garden 
should be occupied and productive. The soil will 
produce something; if not a useful crop, a crop 
of weeds, and it is as much labor to keep weeds in 
subjection as it is to cultivate a growing crop. 
The old-fashioned way of “ making garden ” in 
spring and sowing everything at once, and for all, 
is wasteful. Peas, early potatoes, early cabbages, 
and others have been removed by this time, and 
their places should at once be filled by something. 
Such vegetables as remain in perfection but a few 
days, of which sw^et-com is a marked example, 
may be enjoyed for a long time by sowing every 
week, and the sowing may be done this month with 
a fair chance of good returns. Beets, beans, cu¬ 
cumbers, kohl-rabi, spinach, radishes, and turnips 
(especially the White French) are among the vege¬ 
tables which may profitably follow the early crops 
that have been removed. If there are late cabbage 
plants in reserve, set them in every cleared place ; 
they will yield a good supply of useful food for 
the cow if not needed for any other use. 
