The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-01-22
Cause of Grape Rot.

Eds' country Gentleman,
On page 67S, Z. $. says, on the sub
ject of grape rot "But ii the rot has
not always attended the renewal sys-
tenn, what becomes of the inference
| that system causes ii now W ] an
swer, Iankee-fashion, by asking an
other question How long was ii after
Longworth of Ohio commenced grape
growing on the renewal system before
the hot appeared? How long was il
before grape rot appeared on Kclly's
Island, Lake Erie? And how long
was ii before the rot appeared on
Crooked and Seneca lakes in Central
New York? Answering for our own
grape district will give the history of
the others.
We had, on Crooked lake, grape
growing without rot dozen years or
more before the renewal plan was in
Produced, and 1t was only ON the fourth
crop of fruit grown after the renewal
plan was praeticed that rot appeared.
No doubt the reason why there Is so
much difference ofopinion In regard to
grape rot, is because there are different
kinds of rot. While one appears main
ly from climatic influences, another
comes from some functional derange-
ment OF the vine. The odium i'm France
and the grape rot in Ohio and Cen tai
New York, seem nearly alike, and per-
haps are produced from the same cause.
We do have this rot under the most
favorable climatic influences, SEEM
ingly without cause; yet if unfavorable
weather follows il is much worse.
But with us, slow growth of vine is
seldom affected by bad weather, unless
the vine or root is in an abnormal con-
dition. There can be little doubt of
similar cause for disease i'm plants as in
animal life. Both may be caused bya
departure from natural habits, or
natures laws. a forced growth in
plant or animal is a departure from
natural laws, and must produce, sooner
or later, abnormal conditions We
do not need to be told that forced fat In
animals is more or less diseased con-
dition, and ready to invite other UNI
wholesome influences. Poverty in
animal or plant life may be called one
extreme, while forced condition may
be called the other. Both must be
wrong, and medium course right.
Have we any more reason 10 sup
pose that climatic influences alone
produce rotton grapes or potato :,
than hog cholera or cattle pneumonis?
Can there be reasonable doubt
that there are prcdisposin., cause In
plant or animal life why unwhole-
some influences produce their effect ?
May not cause and effect be traced In |
the changed condition produced by |
breeding and forced feeding of our old |
fashioned "land pike" hog that root |
ID acorns for food from under The snow |
N winter, and our improved breeds /
with the tendency of to-day?
Suppose we take "A pig from its
mother and confine IL In its own filth,
n so feed that il will scarcely leave
he same until IL will weigh 400
pounds, and IL we further suppose
his has been the condition Of its pro-
,enitors for generations, what chance
or constitutional resistance 10 any
PASSING unwholesome climate OF other
Influences have we a right TO expect.
1t may he asked what hog cholera
las TO do with rotton grapes? Much
very way; life force-the blood In
he animal the sap In the plant Is
efficient in nutriiive qualities con-
aims elements of decay, and Is unable
D give healthful conditions. We will
i've dollars for cures, but cents grud-
ingly TO learn the cause. Congress
gives its thousands to veter-
narians to stamp outn cattle dis
ase. Preventing by killing may lie
hectual, but not altogether desirable.
disease originates under certain con-
itions, these conditions are to be look
after. Ii l. said the cattle disease
Dmes from Europe. There must
ave been a cause for II there, and no
oubt the same condition IL ready TO
ccept Ii here.
p. ;. says: 1T is never wise 10 be !
cry positive about causes, cures and i
particularly when there {
~ been no scientific Investigation. ,
will always be wise to investigate
he cause Of evil. II IL simply non
nse 10 set up glass of whiskey be-
re a drunkard and then tell him =
will make him drunk n he swal- =
ws II. Remove the whiskey. and !
le cure IL affected. An ARTIFICIAL =
re without removing the cause h ?
~ compromise, and a compromise :,
half wrong TO begin with, and All a
rong 70 end with. We cannot have n
salfh i'm animal or plant life until !.
9 return near enough 70 nature 10
cure II. J. w. PRExTrzS