THE PHYLLOXERA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1989, 10 April 1890, Page 9

THE PHYLLOXERA.

Most people have rather an exaggerated opinion of the destructive propensities of the phylloxera. It iB quite true that as far as the grape goes the grape phylloxera means the total extinction of the varieties affeoted by it ; but then there is a remedy for it, and when an evil of any kind admits of a cure and that cure is not difficult, it ceases to bo a aerioua one. The reason why the phylloxera has got suoh a terrible iume is because it did suoh an enor-

moua amount of mischief in France and other countries ; and the reason again why it did bo was Bimply because they were unprepared for it, and did not know how to treat it. Now, however, we know perfectly well how to deal with it, but the worst of it is that we are unprepared, and we should have been prepared long ago, as it was a visitor we might have expected any time. Before preparations for the future are made the danger is that temporary mischief will be done, Peruaps the best way to explain the position to non-expert readers is to compare this insect with the woolly apple aphis. I consider the aphis by far the worse ; insect of the two. Years ago when we knew nothing of such things bb northern spy or winter mojelten stocks, apple growers were in despair as tho roots were destroyed by the pest, and apple-growing seemed becoming impossible Then somo one found out this simple euro for the root, iind later we became acquainted jfllh other various of apples, very good in tborflsolveß and not vory much affeoted by tlio blight. Who would now dream of planting an apple troo on any but a proof root ? This is juflft the atune with the phylloxera and the vine It was discovered that there are variotien of the vino that aro phylloxera proof and others that take it but slightly and are good grapes for many purposes ; and the clear oourae that has been adopted in all phylloxerainfested countries is to use the first of tho?e for stocks and the latter to grow as themselves. Tbere are also two points in which the apple aphiß is wovbo than the phylloxera. The cne is that it is much worse' above ground than the latter, and the other iB that the apple tree takes a long time to mature, so as to bear large crops, and oannot so easily be transferred to a proof root. On the other band, it must be conceded that the deadly effects of the phylloxera are very rapid on tho root, although the trouble is easy to cure on the leaf. If people who have valuable vines, particularly trained on the rod system in houses, can get time before the phylloxera attacks them(probably they will), may yet save their vines very easily. In America *nd in some of the Auckland houses they allow a new rod to run up from . near the root, and when it is grown ■ they cut away the old one. In thia way the rod is continually being renewed. Now, it would be the easiest thing in the world to plant a new proof root between each vine in a grapehouse and transfer the new rods on to it by grafting by approach, and in this way not even a year's grapes would be lost, and the owner would be, as they say in tbe story books, " bappy ever after j" for the phylloxera can do no more harm to proof roots of the vine than the blight can to proof roots of the apple. Now, should our Government make a law to prevent the importation of apple trees for tbe purpose of keeping out the American blight, and under that law refuse to admit the spy or the majelten (for stooke), people would know what to think of it; but that is just what they have done with respect to tbe vine. However, when the matter comes to be explained there is little doubt that our Government will not only permit but assist; in importing those proof roots and recognise them as other Governments have done a? the only euro. Professor Sir O, V. Riley has informed mi respecting tlieeo wots, and he writes : " The moßt resistant vines of this country are cultivated varieties of Riparia and Aestivalis, but the best to use for Btocks have been shown by experience to be the Jacques, Clinton,'; Taylor, and some of .the wild forms of Riparia." I know that the Clinton is here, but have no knowledge as to the presence of the others. Very probably some of our nurserymen may have them ; but in any case a very much larger quantity than we are at all -likely to possess will be wanted, and it would be a saving to the resources of the country if oar Government would take steps to procure some very large consignments. I feel sure that I am not saying too much when I say I believe there would be no difficulty in getting the officers of the United States Government to put us in the way of obtaining the proper varieties, or a bonus could ' be given to any respectable and responsible nuraervman to raise and offer for sale at a small prioe large quantities of the required vines. One nurseryman of a thoroughly reliable charaoter informs me that if some guarantee could be given to him that the vine would not be left on his hands he would undertake to furnish, say, 50,000 to 500,000 proof stocks and sell them at 3d each, or to provide grafted vines of , the . most popular varieties at a" small advance upon that price, and that seems to me a way out of the difficulty whioh Bhould have been resorted to long ago as a preventive. R. Allan Wight.