1 Ava., 1898. ] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. S 153 
it should not be allowed to continue unchecked, as later on, either through 
weakening of the vines or adverse climatic conditions, the grapes may be very 
seriously attacked, and it would then be much more difficult to eradicate it. 
Vignerons should, on the contrary, hasten, whilst the disease is still limited 
in its extent, to exterminate it if possible. 
Many of the finer qualities of table grapes are badly attacked by Oidium, 
especially on the coast, and the loss has been in many instances very severe. 
Although more difficult to subjugate than Anthracnose, still this disease can be 
very considerably lessened if our vignerons will take the trouble to apply the 
remedies at the proper moment ; but unfortunately some, from indifference and 
some from multifarious occupations, either neglect to apply any remedy at all 
or apply it when foo late. In either case, much and even total loss of the 
crop tollows, and so many complaints have been made about it that it is now 
a generally accepted idea that only American varieties will do on the coast. 
Certainly they require little or no preventive treatment for disease, but, on the 
other hand, these grapes cannot be compared to European varieties for quality, 
and there is no reason why, if proper precautions are taken, some of the less 
delicate European table grapes should not do well. 
The most effective treatment for Oidium is finely powdered sulphur, and 
instructions as to its application will be given at the proper time, but washing 
the vine now with the sulphuric acid solution will certainly lessen the severity 
. of subsequent attacks by destroying the germs which are in the crevices of the 
bark, &e. The iron sulphate solution has no influence on Oidium. 
All the prunings of vines affected by Anthracnose or Oidium should be 
carefully removed and burnt, and, if possible, the fallen leaves and stalks, &c., 
collected and burnt. Where there area few vines of choice varieties, this work 
would be quickly and easily done, thus greatly lessening the risk of subsequent 
attacks of disease. Recollect that germs adhering to leaves ploughed into the 
soil do not lose their vitality, but will reproduce when a subsequent ploughing 
exposes them to the atmosphere. Do everything possible to prevent sources 
of infection. 
The Orchard. 
TREATMENT OF FRUIT TREES WITH HYDROCYANIC 
ACID GAS. 
We have received from Mr. A. H. Benson, Government Fruit Expert, an 
extract from the Report of the Government Entomologist to the Cape of Good 
Hope for the year 1897, which is to the following effect :— 
Some 6,600 trees have been treated by the Government (by the above 
process) in various parts of the colony, in order to demonstrate the method of 
application and the efficacy of the remedy, and this has been followed by the 
establishment of a number of co-operative and private outfits, such outfits 
consisting of from 10 to 30 tents each. 
The Government of Cape Colony has assisted the formation of these co- 
operative outfits, as it has been deemed advisable, and as the method of treat- 
ment has been demonstrated to be a success in different parts of the colony by 
the Government, to let the growers do the work themselves, the Government 
supplying the raw materials required for generating the gas at cost price to the 
growers. 
Mr. Benson has strongly recommended that the same course be followed 
in Queensland, and the Minister for Agriculture quite appreciates the excellent 
results which have followed the Cape experiment. He has therefore instructed 
Mr. Benson to take steps to initiate experiments. 
