Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-07-08
Pre-, c,ytiyc OF Grape Blight.

Tho following is letter of Began
Tyson, of this city, on the above sub
icct, addressed to an agricultural
society:
Lam credibly informed that in
the vicinity Of Cincinnati C&tawba
grapovines are bciog dug up by
reason of blight, and that others of
II more hardy nature arc being
substituted. Now, the vines can
be brought to feed upon some eIc-
mcnt of fertility during the period
of their growth that will make the
fruit healthier and moro vigorous,
it is believed thai blight, mildcw,
and kindred diseases will DO pre-
vented. In the vicinity Of Wilmin-
ton, North Carolina, II gentleman,
some fourteen years ago, set out III
tho usual way II Flowers grapevine,
avarioty OF the Scuppcrnong. About
four years thereafter he dug II pit
two and half feet deep, three feet
wide, and ten feet long. lie thcn
filled this pit with green round rcd
oak wood, six to eight inches in
diameter, bark on, to within II few
inches of the top, covered over with
dirt, and planted a cutting from the
vine that had boon planted several
years previously at one end of the
pit. Last fall these two vines yield
ed jointly twenty-six bushels of
grapes, of which tho younger vine
grow about two.thirds. hor was
this all. The grapes ofthe younger
vine worc larger and Of much bet
ter quality than those grown on
the parent vine. Tho vines were
planted at one edge Of the yard,
and had received but little or no
cultaeu since the time they were
planted. The difference in yield
must therefore be attributable to
tho wood, buried rs aforesaid. The
philosophy OF the above appears TO
be this:
The oxygen ia the air combining !
with the carbo0 in the decaying
wood was converted into carbonic
xcid gas, which, constitutes the
principal food of plants. The prin-
cipal advantage, then, to be derived |
from burying wood appears to be |
she formation of carbonic acid gas
Wow, if laboratory be constructed |
FOR generating this gas, by pitting |
us above set forth, the numerous
little rootlets that will penetrate the
sides of the pit will, it seems, draw
thercfrom $ much moro valuable
element for sustcnance than can be
obtained from the soil in the usual
way. | wiIlalso state that the ca
pacity for generating carbonic acid
gas can be further increased by
burying with and Eotwcon tho logs |
vegetable matter, such as rank
weeds.
Animal matter, such as blood or
unsalted flesh ofany kind, will also
answer good purpose. During
the period Of decomposition, car
bonic acid gas will be given of. If
hole be bored into enc of the top
logs. and tube of. about an inch
calibre be inserted, so as 20 ADMIT
the air, but not the dirt, the capaci-
ty for generating this gas will
doubtless be still further increased,
as an additional supply of oxygen
can thus be obtained from the air
to take the place of that in the pit
as il is converted into carbonicacid,
lwater added will convert carbonic
acid gas into carbOnic acid, and a
saiiciency Of wates will filtrate
d,rough the top and sides Of the
,,it for this purpOse) No fears
need be entertained that the gas
will ascend through the open tube
into tho air above it is heavier
than common air, and will sink to
tho bottom Of the pit. The above
discovery, like many Of the most
valuable inventions. appears 10 have
lieen wholly accidental. II Is be
licved that this plan would exert a
beneficial influence upon every sI,e-
es,s u grapevine, even where they (
have been set out for several years I
Ihesahiee Is evidently worthy q 1,
"a. der ilFc.tiz siion.