Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-07
or Sunstroke OF the
Vine.

'
Anaheim and other places for the pur-
pose OF examining the vines which have
been dying suddenly. and has presented
to the Anaheim people the following
paper, which will set at rest all fears
that have. been entertained as to the
danger of contagion. He says:
During the last few months numerous
complaints have been received at the
office of the State Viticultural Commits
sion, of serious damage to certain vines
OF varieties of the same. The trouble
being mainly sudden cessation in the
growth of the same, loss of foliage and
apparent dying condition, without pre-
vious indication OF such weakness. The
affe ction has been chiefly noticed in
Mission vines, in the vicinity of Ana
helm, but it is mistake to assume that
it is confined TO that district, although
it is there most prominently noticed. l
have had an opportunity during the last
two months to inspect vines similarly
affected in other places, and in some
parts or the Northern counties | have
observed indications of the same trouble,
but only partially affecting portions of
the vines affected.
| have hesitated to give an opinion
on the subject, because, from the first,
l have assumed that this affection is the
same as that which is called in France
the "coup de soteii," which means in
English ''sun stroke" also known as
appoplexy or .(oiletage (craziness). 1t
was first noticed in the Rustican by
Pierre CresceDzi, in the year 1900. For
many generations the peasants in the
south OF France have called those vines
which have been attacked by it 'Joulle.
tadas." or ''crazed." In studying the
characteristics of different varieties of
vines known to Europe, we frequently
| find reference to this or that one which
is said to be subject, under certain con-
ditions, to this coup de soleu, among
such vines being mentioned the
''Mataro," by Pellicot, in his work en-.
"Ihe Vigneross Proreaciai. The cause
of my hesitation has arisen from the
| fact that all authorities on this subject
| refer to this affection as incurable, and
| have not desired TO be hasty in de-
claring that the same would prove true
in California. 1t is not, however, prop
| erly speaking, a disease, nor is it con-
| tagious.
Professor Foex, Director of Viticul.
| ture at the National Agricultural School
Of Montpelier, Frar ce, in his work on
viticulture. published during the present
year, refers to this affection of the vine
as follows:
They call appolerie or foietage of
the vine an accident, which happens
generally in July or August to vines
| which have been up to to that time in
good health and vigorous without any
previous symptoms that should cause it
to be foreseen there is to be seen, all
at once, on certain vines, isolated one
from the other, sudden loss of bril-
liancy of foliage, the vigor which they
| nabitually possess disappears, they be-
come wilted and perish ; the canes be.
come dried from the top towards the
bottom and very soon the entire plant
dies. At other times these phenomena
are not produced with sufficient inten.
sity to bring about this result portion
only OF the plant is affected and the re-
mainder continues to live, but the whole
receives severe shock, the effects of
which are generally irremediable.
'It is especially in rich and deep soils,
in those which are moist, with little
depth to permanent water, in those
which by their nature are very little
permeable and after very rainy year,
that this apoplexy is particularly to be
feared, according to Nj. Mares; it is man.
ifested also in Algiers, under the action
of the sirocco.
"Among the varieties of Languedoc,
the Aramon and the Terret, the Furmint
of Tokai, the Grollot of Tourane and the
Catawba of America, are those which
are most subject to it, but no vine es.
capes it altogether"
The foregoing description is in my
opinion, sufficient to identify the trou-
bic which has affected vines in this State
and which is now under consideration.
Before concluding this notice, further
mention will be made of the circumstances
ihas have been especially observed as ac
companying the phenomena here.
In all discussions relating to disea ses
affecting vegetation, great care should
be exercised not TO be m sled by theory.
The salient facts are the important ones
to be first considered. Here is an affec.
ton OF the vine, which appears to be the
same as is known in Europe, the affects
OF which are generally considered ire.
mediable, although in slight degree
the causes of the same might be pre-
vented. Various European authors have
undertaken to explain the phenomena,
and for our present purpose, it is suffi-
cient 10 quote a brief summary of what
they have had to say on the subject.
Nj. Lecierc, after the almost instantan.
eous death in 1878. of great number of
very vigorous vines in France, under.
took at the Agricultural station of Met.
ray, some researches concerning the facts
which were observed. The explanation
which he gives of them is as follows:
"a great quantity of rain has fallen this
year, which to certain extent, prevents
the rapid warming of the soil, and also
tends to saturate the atmosphere with
moisture. Also the sky Of Touraine has
been almost constantly clouded. The
vegetation of the vines has taken place,
SO to speak, in the shade, and, under |
these conditions, the tissues of the plant |
have not acquired the resistance which |
they would have had if the sun had
shone oftener. The tissues are gorged |
with water. The atmosphere having been
also relatively humid, the evaporation of
the plant, that is to say. the water which |
escapes from its leaves and stems, has OF |
necessity been feeble, since the plant
evaporates less in humid than in dry air.
The experiments of the celebrated physi-
ologist, NJ. Sachs, have proved also that
the Transportation increases as the tenn
perature of the soil is elevated, Conse-
quently, the circulation of water through |
the roots and the wood, has necessarily
been very slow, just as the evaporation
has been the same. A relation in accord.
ance with the activity of the transpira.
tion and the circulation OF water in the
raots ha- Lao,, 4la.re -