hybrid of V. riparia and V. labrusca, resists the Phylloxera very well and is easily propagated, but does not do well except under very favorable conditions of soil and climate.

The Solonis is probably either a wild race of V. riparia or a hybrid of that species. It is the variety which best resists the Phylloxera, but is absolutely valueless for wine on account of the acidity of its grapes. As a resistant stock, however, it holds first rank and will thrive even in very moist soil, where other varieties of riparia fail. The Rupestris Class.-This group includes only wild varieties which have not yet been studied sufficiently to determine their merits. They are of little or no value as wine grapes, but are easily propagated from cuttings.

The Labrusca Class.-The varieties of V. labrusca, while resisting the Phylloxera better than the vines of Europe, are inferior in this respect to other American vines. Certain varieties may be grown successfully in France, but others (Isabella and Catawba, for example) succumb to the root louse. The foxy taste of the fruit is also a decided objection to their growth direct. They are generally employed therefore as stocks, for which they are inferior, however, to the riparia. The only variety grown to any extent for its fruit is the Concord.

Hybrids. Of the many valuable hybrids produced by various American viticulturists by crossing native species or varieties, or by crossing these with European sorts, a considerable number have been adopted in France as of value either for fruiting direct or for use as stocks. Other hybrids, found in a wild state in this country, have also been adopted for resistant stocks.

Of these varieties the important ones grown direct for their fruit, or particularly wine, are the Eumelan, Othello, Canada, Cornucopia, and Senasqua.

Those employed as stocks are the Elvira, Noah, Triumph, YorkMadeira, Vialla,* Champin, and Cordifolia-rupestris.

ADAPTATION OF AMERICAN PLANTS TO THE SOIL.

A vine which demands certain conditions of soil and climate in its native country will not be likely to thrive under different conditions when transplanted to some new country. When the nature of the vines is not consulted loss of time and capital will be apt to result. The matter of adaptation is very intricate, and to fulfill its requirements instruction under thoroughly versed men is essential. French vineyardists have not been slow to detect this necessity, and throughout France to-day schools for instructions in the care and needs of the American vine are springing into existence and sending out regular graduates to act as teachers of this new phase of the industry

*The Vialla, perhaps, of all the stocks employed in France gives the greatest percentage of successful grafts and affords the best results in grafting on cuttings.

in all parts of the country. Most beneficial results have been achieved. Could this have been done long ago much useless expenditure might have been avoided, and the poor grape-grower who caught at any hope to preserve his failing vines would not now in so many instances have felt disposed to curse the American stock as the source of all his troubles.

In general it may be said that American vines grow best in new land which is deep and permeable, in alluvium or in soils mixed with sand and pebbles. The color of the soil appears to exert some influence. Red soils are especially favorable, gray soils less so, and white soils are positively injurious.

The various varieties of grapes behave quite differently in diverse soils, and often even in the same region or in neighboring regions certain varieties present very contradictory results.

L'École de Montpellier has formulated the statement quoted below which will be of interest as giving the various classes of soils together with the American vines best adapted to each :

(1) New deep fertile soils: Riparia tomentous and glabrous, Jacquez, Solonis, Vialla, Taylor, Cunningham.

(2) Deep soils, somewhat strong, not wet: Jacquez, Riparia, Solonis, Cunningham, Vialla, Taylor.

(3) Deep soils of medium consistency, new and not dry in summer: Riparia, Jacquez, Solonis, Vialla, Taylor, Black July. ·

(4) Light pebbly soils, deep, well drained and not too dry in summer: Jacquez, Riparia (wild), Taylor, Rupestris.

(5) Calcareous soils, with subsoil shallow or granitic: Solonis, Rupestris.

•6) Argillaceous soils, white or gray: Cunningham.

(7) Argillaceous soils, deep and very wet: V. cinerea.

(8) Deep, sandy, fertile soils: Riparia (wild), Solonis, Jacquez, Cunningham, Black July, Rupestris.

(9) Light, pebbly soils, dry and barren: Rupestris, York-Madeira, Riparia (wild). (10) Deep soils with a tufa base and salt lands: Solonis.

(11) Soils formed of débris of tufa, but sufficiently deep: Taylor.

(12) Ferruginous soils, containing red pebbles of silica, deep and somewhat strong, well drained, but fresh in summer; all the varieties indicated, and in addition Herbemont, Clinton, Cynthiana, Marion, Concord, Herman.

PRESENT STATUS OF AMERICAN VINES.

A fact now patent, but not readily admitted by French grapegrowers, is that American species yield at least one-third more than the foreign, though those who admit this fact claim that the wine product is inferior, which may be true or not for the simple vine, but which is assuredly not true of the grafted plant.

The reputation made by American stocks when first introduced is still maintained, and each year shows an increase in the acreage of vineyards reconstructed by their use. The future outlook is bright, and it is predicted that the time is not far distant when viticulture will be as widespread in France as it was before the appearance of the Phylloxera.

The following tabular statement drawn from the recently published report of the Superior Phylloxera Commission will be interesting in this connection:*

If the march of the recovery continue at this ratio, in four years vine-planted land in France will reach the unprecedented amount of 6,500,000 acres. Hérault presents 380,000 acres of renewed vineyards; Aude, 68,000; Gard, 60,000; Gironde, 47,000; the Western Pyrenees, 75,000, and Var, 47,000.

The efforts to produce by hybridization Phylloxera-proof varieties have so far not proved successful or popular, as most growers still depend on grafting on the American stock. Another noticeable fact is that the Government does not hesitate in its liberal policy of doing all in its power to aid the afflicted vine-grower, and the law of December 1, 1887, by which the land tax on newly planted or restored vineyards is remitted for four years, is still in force.

DISEASES OF THE VINE.

The cryptogamic diseases of the vine in Europe, and especially France, are practically identical with those occurring in this country and are in fact largely of American origin. The methods of successfully treating these diseases are mostly of French discovery, and although they have in general been brought to the attention of American viticulturists, a brief consideration of the subject of remedies in connection with the various diseases will not be out of place in this Report.

The important diseases are the Mildew, Black Rot, White Rot, Oïdium, Anthracnose, and to those may be added Pourridié.

Downy Mildew.-The grape disease, attacking the leaves, green stems, and fruit, known as Mildew or Peronospora (P. viticola), is indigenous in America, where it occurs abundantly from Canada southward and westward, excepting in California, Oregon, Arizona, and New Mexico. It was first noted in Europe in 1878 by Prof. Planchon, but has now become very widespread and has invaded practically all the Mediterranean region, including Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Algeria. The effects of this disease are especially grave in Europe. Vines attacked with Mildew ripen their fruit

*Insect Life, II. p. 310.

badly and give wine lacking in alcohol and color, and without solidity.

American grape-growers are, of course, thoroughly familiar with this Mildew, and hence any description of it will be unnecessary.

The practical remedies that may be employed against the Mildew have been concisely summarized by Pierre Viala in his important work, "Les Maladies de la Vigne," and revised in the "Manuel Pratique pour le Traitement des Maladies de la Vigne" (1888), by Viala & Ferrouillat, from which the following is drawn:

(1) When possible vines least subject to the mildew should be chosen in the construction of a vineyard. (Among the more resistant varieties originating from V. vinifera are the Persian Grapput, Pignon, Sauvignon, Semillon, etc.; among the American varieties the Cynthiana, Elvira, Noah, Montefiore, Missouri Riesling, and Herbemont.)

(2) The collecting of the leaves in autumn, plastering with concentrated solutions before the starting of the buds, and the removing of the parts first attacked by the mildew, are all without value.

(3) All efforts against the mildew in full development are useless even with the substances which give at other times the best results.

(4) The mildew can only be arrested by preventing its spores from germinating on the grape leaves; the remedies ought therefore to be applied before the appearance of the spores on the green parts of the vine.

(5) The salts of copper, applied as preventives only, have given completely satisfactory results.

(6) Treating vine supports or stakes with the sulphate of copper may be employed as an auxiliary means; in regions where the vine is ordinarily fastened to stakes it is well to coat the stakes in a solution of 10 parts of sulphate to 100 of water before setting them.

(7) Powders having a base of sulphate of copper of about 10 per cent need to be still further tested before they can be recommended for general use.

(8) The eau celeste and the bouillie bordelaise should be employed in preference to all other mixtures.

The eau celeste is prepared by dissolving in a wooden vessel 1 kilogram of pure sulphate of copper in 3 liters of warm water; when the mixture has cooled, 14 liters of the ammonia of commerce are added. This solution, prepared at least one-half day in advance, is diluted to 200 liters just before being employed. It is necessary to use 200 to 300 liters, at least, per hectare for each treatment.

The bouillie bordelaise is made by wetting 1 kilogram of strong quicklime in 5 liters of water and adding the mixture to 100 liters of water in which has been dissolved 2 kilograms of sulphate of copper. It is applied, as in the case of the first mixture, at the rate of 200 to 300 liters per hectare.

(9) The first application of the eau celeste, or Bouillie, is made about May 15, or as late as the 18th of June in the northern districts without any danger of injury to the bloom. A second application is made one month and a half after the first, and a third treatment about the first of August. In very bad years four or five treatments are sometimes necessary. When possible the final treatment should be made fifteen days before harvest.

In using the powders the first application should be made about May 15, and the treatment should be repeated at least four times.

Black Rot.-The Black Rot (Loestadia bidwellii) began its ravages in France in 1885 in the submerged vineyards of Hérault, and has

spread rapidly since that time. It was introduced from the United States, where it exists in all the vineyards east of the Rocky Mountains, California thus far enjoying complete freedom from its attacks. In this country it prevails on both cultivated and wild varieties and is the worst scourge of our vineyards, few vines being capable of withstanding its attacks. The losses resulting from this disease amount frequently to from 75 to 90 per cent of the crop. In France the Black Rot is less serious than with us and is not so widespread nor so destructive as the mildew. In moist districts, however, the losses have amounted in some instances to three-fifths of the crop. A warm, moist climate is essential to this disease in a higher degree than in the case of any other like ailment except the kindred bitter rot. Black Rot first affects the leaves, afterwards passing to the fruit. The efforts of French viticulturists for the extermination of this rot have been almost without avail, though much industry has been shown in diagnosing its symptoms and characters and prescribing tentative or presumptively remedial treatments. Powders, sulphur, plaster, ashes, slaked lime, coal dust, solutions of lime, phenic acid, and carbonates have all failed in turn. Nevertheless the conviction has been gaining headway that cupric compositions will eventually get the upper hand of black rot, especially if used. at an opportune moment and in sufficiently large doses.

Experiments recently made by the mycologist of the United States Department of Agriculture, have shown that if the salts of copper (Eau Celeste and the Bordeaux mixture) are applied before the fungus of Black Rot has become established on the foliage, in advance of the period of bloom even, and repeated at intervals of 10 to 15 days, the disease may be kept entirely under control. Eau Celeste proves to be much inferior to the Bordeaux mixture and the latter only is given positive recommendation. Preventive measures may by employed, such as removing and burning affected branches and fruit, or protecting the fruit in paper sacks. The latter method is quite successful, but can not be applied on a large scale.

White Rot.-The White Rot (Coniothyrium diplodiella) was observed for the first time in 1878 in Italy. In 1885 it was discovered in France by P. Viala and L. Ravaz, and in 1887 Viala discovered it in this country in Missouri, Indian Territory, and Texas. Its being found in the Indian Territory away from all cultivated vines leads to the belief that the disease is of American origin. Its occurrence here is, however, exceptional or rare. In France the White Rot has made great ravages in several vine districts. This disease has not been observed on the foliage. It attacks the fruit especially, and sometimes the branches. No conclusive experiments with remedies have been made in either France or Italy, but it is believed that the copper solutions already referred to will prove of value against the White Rot. P. Viala records having observed in Missouri, during his recent visit