The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-12-18

the leaves of wild vines; the second
seeks the roots and is the only dan
gerous one. Both kinds are of a
waxen yellow tint, but otherwise look
like the common plant louise or aphis
only they are. very much smaller,
hardly the size Of very small pin
head. As ordinarily found sucking
the. rootlets Of vines, the Insect IS
wiugless, and all are females, or at
least egg-layers;; for there are no
males for, three or four generations,
during which each of the insects NAV
lay from 200 to 400 eggs apiece,
which hatch in about 10 days. So
you can easily understand why and
how the vine roots are so rapidly re-
peopled after having appeared COM
pletely deserted during the winter.
About in the fourth generation a
winged form makes its appearance,
whose wings are so large in proper.
ton to their bodies, that they have
little control over them but. when
they rise in the air, they are carried
wherever the wind may, chance to
take them. These lay only three OF
four eggs each, which produce two
kinds of phyHoxera, large and small
the former being females, and the
latter males. This generation has no
digestive organs, being destined ex-
clusively for reproduction the te-
male lays but one solitary egg, which
is especially tenacious Of life, being
destined to hibernate. From this
egg is Matched, on the return OF
Spring, the ordinary root-louse, whose
vigor is thus annually renewed. You
see it is the winged form that rend-
ers possible the rapid spread we have
seen elsewhere also, that its destruc-
ten would seemingly put an end to
the propagation of the species. But
nature has provided against this con-
tingency; for in time of need some
of the common egg layers undertake
to lay the large solitary egg which
hibernates, and moreover, in a mild |
climate, some of the millions Of CONF
mon eggs, and a few egg-layers, also !
survive. These eggs can be de-
stroyed by from % to 40 days sub
which can only be done in |
winter without injury to the vines. |
This, SO far is the only absolute rem
edy found, except in very sandy soils.
The phyhoXera cannot live in sandy |
soil, because it is too. weak to crawl
from one plEo<, to, ar.
of sand obstructing its progress; in
adobe soilsit crawls along the cracks.
When vine is properly fed. and in
soils containing considerable quanti-
ties Of potash, the vines can live and
support a considerable number of the
insects. They leave weak vines and
attack strong ones, and vines attacked
and weakened by them, often live at
ter they leave them, and [ think
many vines can be saved that have
suffered by their ravages. This is
possible by circumsribing the vines
with some substance that is poison
Gus to the phylloxera. Among thou
sands Of such that have been tried,
bi-sulphide of carbon has proved the
most effectual and available; but
when applied directly it Injuries the
roots, disappears too rapidly and costs
too much. 1t has done better in
chemical combinations from which it
is slowly set free; but here is some
thing seemingly better and cheaper ;
The Professor here exhibited some
"phylloxera bricks he had just re-
ceived from France, and which had
been used with advantage in the dis
tricts afflicted with the insect; they
are cheap, costing but the fifth of a
cent apiece, and will retain their vir-
tues a long time. They are made Of
clay, placed under the receiver of an
air pump, and when the air is exhaust.
ed, bi-sulphide Of carbon substituted
and the whole covered with an i'm
pervious coatof glue. The combma
ton is thus formed mechanically, and
the odor is so pungent that one brick
placed in the Professors study, caused
| all that entered to remark its pres
erce. They are to be placed in the
ground near the infected plants, three
to each. ~ RI /.
There was much good testiln%y
to show the efficacy of this mode 0.
application, and he thought quaRti
ty should be imported at once fol
trial ! Then if we find it efectual, Et
| IL. l..:ol-u 1,o,,o aud fhi,s