Brazos and Colorado; in western Texas, where it is very dry, the disease has not been observed. This is the case, for example, at El Paso, which forms its southwestern limit. Black Rot attacks not only cultivated vines, but also different species of wild grapes in forests far removed from cultivated vineyards. We know of no wild species of the eastern or central States which may not be attacked by it. We have observed it on the banks of the Niagara on leaves of Vitis riparia and of Ampelopsis quinquefolia, and again in the forests of Maryland and New Jersey, where we saw the wild Vitis labrusca with its leaves covered with spots and its fruit destroyed by the parasite. In Indian Territory, in the dense virgin forest, the leaves of the young shoots of Vitis cordifolia were seen covered with the pustulate spots of Black Rot. We have even observed it, but in rare cases, upon leaves of Vitis monticola in the dry parts of Texas where this species occurs. The Mustang and Lincecumii, growing along the banks of the Red River, were also seen to bear the pustules of the disease. Vitis rupestris, which grows in dry ravines, is the only species which does not have its leaves spotted with Black Rot, but this does not prove that in other localities or in other soils the fungus would not attack it. II. SEVERITY. Black Rot is the most serious and important disease of the vine in the United States. In America only can one appreciate the full extent of the ravages of this malady. There is no disease of the vine yet known that causes in a few days such great losses, and our viticulturists rightly consider Black Rot as the worst of all scourges. After numerous trials the culture of European vines has been abandoned even in sandy soils where they would be resistant to Phylloxera; in the northern regions this is partly because of the low temperature, however, but it is more especially on account of the Black Rot; and in consequence the varieties of Vitis labrusca have been multiplied in spite of their inferior value. The numerous varieties of vines which have been originated and which are still being multiplied in the United States, have been propagated with the hope of discovering one which would be proof against Black Rot. The crossing of American varieties with French vines has been wholly abandoned, for it has only resulted in disappointment; all vines crossed with Vitis vinifera regularly lose their crop if the climatic conditions are at all favorable to the parasite. At present viticulturists resort to the hybridization of those species only which they consider most resistant to the Black Rot, such as V. Lincecumii and V. rupestris. In the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana varieties of Vitis rotundifolia are cultivated, especially Scuppernong, Flowers, Tender Pulp, Thomas, etc., because in these States it is impossible to save the product even on the most resistant varieties of Vitis labrusca; this is the only reason for retaining, in these warm and humid regions, varieties which yield wines of little value. Mildew is less common and causes less loss to the crop, although in consequence of repeated attacks during several years it may cause the death of the vine. This never results from Black Rot. In Vineland, N. J., Seabrook, Md., Charlottesville, Va., the vicinity about Saint Louis and Neosho, Mo., and at Dallas, Texas, the majority of the vines lost, in 1887, 80, 90, and 95 per cent. of their crop by Black Rot. In June we visited a warm, humid portion of Maryland, The berries at that time were no larger than small peas, yet two-thirds had already been ruined by the Rot. Vine-growers have everywhere assured us that in the years most favorable to the development of the disease not a berry escaped. In Tennessee, near Nashville, upon the banks of the Cumberland. Mr. M. O. Randall obtained, in 1885, 4 hectoliters (88 gallons) of wine. from a hectare (2 acres) of young vines; in 1887, owing to Black Rot, the product from the same vines was only 4 litres (about 1 gallon). * There are some historical failures in the culture of the vine which may be mentioned here. The failure of Lakanal, obtained by the culture of European vines in Ohio, Kentucky, and Alabama, or those of the Swiss vineyards of Nouvelle-Vevey, in Ohio, were without doubt as much due to Black Rot as to the severe cold of winter. At the time when Longworth undertook to cultivate vines on a large scale about Cincinnati the Catawba had just been originated and there were strong hopes that this variety would be resistant to Black Rot. According to the advice and example of this distinguished viti. culturist large areas were planted, but Black Rot successively ruined all these vineyards. New plantings were made in the same vicinity when the Ives Seedling came into notice, but the immunity of this vine, which had been tested for several years, was not maintained, and the planting of vineyards was again arrested. Facts of the same kind might be reported for Illinois, Virginia, New Jersey, and Maryland; in the last three States vine-growers have given up grape culture where moisture is most abundant during summer. In years of severe attack it has not been possible to save grapes for the table unless the precaution was taken to cover them with paper sacks. At the time when the Rogers hybrids (Labruscar inifera) were introduced, a company with a capital of $200,000 was organized in Missouri for the cultivation of the vine. Very large tracts of land were purchased at a low price and distributed among vineyardists who sold their produce to the company. Roger's hybrids had given two good crops and the hope of realizing large profits imparted confidence in the success of the interprise. But Black Rot very soon ruined all the products, and brought disaster to the vine-growers and to the company, in spite of the zeal and knowledge of the viticulturist who directed it. Messrs. Bush & Son purchased the place which is now the town of Bushberg from a vine-grower who had lost his entire property in grape culture. Black Rot destroyed the greater part of his crop every year. Messrs. Bush & Son have never planted large vineyards themselves on account of this disease; they consider that when Black Rot destroys only 25 per cent. of the crop it is a good year, and they do not consider vine culture necessary to their more important nurseries. At Denison, in northern Texas, the Italian colonists attempted to cultivate their native vines, but they were soon obliged to dig them up and replace them by Concords. It was the same at Dallas, where Cantagrel established a French colony of Fourrieristes who attempted the culture of French vines, but abandoned them for the same reasons. III.—VARIETIES ATTACKED-DEGREES OF SUSCEPTIBILITY. All that we have said goes to prove that European vines are more subject to Black Rot than American. It is not necessary to repeat here that all hybrids of V. vinifera are very susceptible to the disease. It has been stated above that we have observed Black Rot on the wild varieties in the forests from the Northern States as far south as Texas; e. g., Vitis labrusca, V. riparia, V. cordifolia, V. æstivalis, Ampelopsis quinquefolia, A. bipinnata, Vitis Arizonica, V. Californica, V. Novo-Mexicana, and V. rotundifolia. The young leaves of Vitis Arizonica and V. Californica, growing at Denison, had their foliage spattered with spots of Black Rot in some cases, but it is especially V. labrusca which in its wild state has its leaves and fruit destroyed by the disease. Vitis rupestris, V. berlandieri, V. cinerea, V. Lincecumii, V. monticola, and V. candicans occasionally have a few disease spots on their leaves, but never on their fruit. Black Rot is seen but rarely on the fruit Vitis riparia, V. Novo-Mexicana, V. cordifolia,* and V. rotundifolia. Among the varieties which have been cultivated in the United States Othello, Triumph, Brant, Canada, Black Defiance, and Secretary can not be utilized on account of Black Rot. Othello and Secretary have been discarded and are now found only in nursery collections. Messrs. Bush & Son & Meissner have a few stocks of Secretary ten years old which have never fruited, Black Rot having each year destroyed the crop. Prentiss, Bacchus, Pocklington, and Peabody lose all their harvest some years; the same is true of the Roger's Hybrids, Rickett, Niagara, and Catawba. When the season is unfavorable to the disease various degrees of resistance to Black Rot appear in the different varieties. The Elvira, Concord, and Ives Seedling are less susceptible than those named above; the same may be said of Neosho, Iron Clad, Jaeger's No. 100, Perkins, and Missouri Riesling; the Iron Clad, which is said to be very resistant, is far from having perfect immunity. As we have already stated in * This year (1888) I received from Mr. Hermann Jaeger, of Neosho, Mo., clusters of Vitis cordifolia, with the berries literally covered with the pustules of Black Rot.— F. L. S. In the vineyard of Alex. W. Pearson, who originated the Iron Clad, this variety was entirely free from Black Rot in 1888, while the fruit of the Concord and of other varieties growing with it was completely destroyed by the disease.-F. L. S. previous publications, varieties with large, juicy berries are the ones most subject to Black Rot, a fact confirmed by our recent observations. It appears also that the later the berries are in ripening the less effect. Black Rot has upon them; perhaps the relative resistance of the culti vated varieties of Estivalis is due to these two facts. Cynthiana, or Norton's Virginia, is least subject to Black Rot of all American varieties, and on account of this fact viticulture is economically possible in certain parts of Virginia, southern Missouri, and northern Texas. This variety, however, loses much fruit during those years when the summer is very moist; thus in Virginia it lost two-fifths of its crop in 1887; but at the same time the fruit of all other varieties was almost wholly destroyed. The Herbemont is nearly as resistant as the Cynthiana, and on this account these two varieties are most widely cultivated in the south. The Jacquez is less resistant, and its culture has been abandoned in southern Missouri and in the vicinity of Dallas and New Braunfels, Tex., chiefly on this account. Varieties of Vitis rotundifolia (Scuppernong, Thomas, etc.) are the only vines whose fruit is never destroyed. by the disease. IV. CONDITIONS FAVORING DEVELOPMENT. At all points in the United States where the ravages of Black Rot are most severe the summers are very warm and moist; this is the case especially in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas. Next to Bitter Rot, Black Rot is a disease that demands in the greatest degree these two climatic conditions, warmth and moisture, for its development. That the losses are so frequent and important is due to the fact that in the majority of the States east of the Rocky Mountains, and especially along the borders of the Atlantic, the months of June, July and August are moist and very warm. We have already said that in southwest Texas, in California, Arizona, etc., where the summers are warm and dry, Black Rot does not exist. In the Central and Northern States, when the seasons are dry, little injury is done. The year 1887, during which rains were infrequent in those States, afforded ample proof of this. In western New York, at Hammondsport, there are quite large vineyards upon the hillsides surrounding Lake Keuka; at this point, in consequence of the altitude and exposure, dews and mists are rare and Black Rot causes but little damage; the losses, however, sometimes reach 10 per cent. In 1887 only traces of the disease were found, and in the parts most exposed the loss did not exceed 1 per cent. In the islands of Lake Erie (Kelley's Island, Middle Bass, etc.) in wet years the losses reached 75 and 80 per cent. of the crop; in 1887 it was necessary to search in order to find any berries showing the effects of Black Rot; at Sandusky, on the shore of Lake Erie, where Black Rot frequently destroys 80 per cent. of the fruit, the loss in 1887 was only 4 or 5 per cent.;* the same was true at Fredonia, Dunkirk, and Brocton, in New York, and in all these places the absence of dews or fogs during this year was marked. The same differences in the degrees of severity of the disease as compared with the humidity of the atmosphere, and especially with the presence or absence of dew and fogs, have been noted in the Central States and in the South. In Tennessee grape culture is really not remunerative excepting above the limit of fogs. Thus upon the plateaus of the Cumberland there is a Swiss colony that cultivates the vine successfully, and upon the lower hills of Ashland County, Ives Seedling gives moderately good crops, although Black Rot is more frequent; but upon the Cumberland River, where thick morning fogs are frequent and where the temperature is high, vine products amount to almost nothing. At Bushberg, Mo., the injury in 1887 was not more than 25 per cent., on account of the drought, but it frequently amounts to 100 per cent. In Texas, at Lampasas, Austin, and Belton, where drought is the general rule, only traces of Black Rot were observed in 1887; more to the south, however, at New Braunfels, on the Guadalupe, the culture of Jacquez is almost impossible on account of dews which favor the disease. At Charlottesville, Va., in 1887, drizzling rains and dews were frequent and the injury amounted to 80 to 100 per cent., according to the variety. The same was true in southwestern Missouri. The following meteorological observations, kindly furnished by Hermann Jaeger, of Neosho, by whom they were taken, give exactly the degree of temperature and the frequency of dew, rain, and fog in the latter place, where the injury from Black Rot was very severe in 1887. It seems useless to discuss these data; they are sufficiently conclusive in themselves. Record of temperature, rainfall, dew, etc., from June 5 to October 25. * In 1888 the season in this region was very moist and the loss from rot amounted to fully one-third of the crop; this loss, however, was due to Brown Rot caused by Peronospora, and not to the fungus of Black Rot, although the latter was present to some extent. |