The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-30

Of the fssf-lhc French Covernniehts
Efforts to Suppress It-supposed Origin
of the DESTROYER.
Nine Phylloxcra Vastatrix. rs the scien-
fists have named her, is shown in actu fla
,rante. by many Illustrations. In them she
dos not appear very formidable She does
tb,whole worl, of destruction, unaided by
her spouse, resembling the busy housewife
seen everywhere IN Franco, who does all the
work of the household, tends store, acts "a
nurse. .oamstrc>, and cook, while the man OF
the hou,e seldom seen az home, is probably
talking politics az the cafe But madam IS
ALWAYS busy Two ideas absorb all her en-
ercies. one Is 20 raise "a large. prolific family;
the other is 20 find farms IN her immediate
vicinity for them all Her ambitious efforts
arc always crowned with glorious success, so
that her family and the name Of Phylloxera
become mighty ina the land, oitener repeated
than that Of the great Napoleon.
Eutomologists divide the phylloxera yasta-
Ink into SIX different stages First, the
grva. second aptorous female third, nymph;
fourth, the winged state. nth, sexual indi-
,iduaIs sixth, winter egg As soon as an
,-r Is Matched Toe larva begins 10 use its suck
ers on the tender radicals where it was laid
uv us mother: 10 then uudergoes three, some
times four. changes, similar 10 the casting OF
the skin on shell Of a locust or crab; each
time the skin cracks open on the back and
falls Of. after every Noting the insect be-
coming darker yellow All this is accom-
p.lshai wthiua few days, then it has reached
matuuty-noN measuring threefOurlhs Of a
miimcter in width and onc-half of a MILL
meter n length II begins TO lay TWO or
three eggs every four or five days, if the
temperature permits Ina this state 1t lays
from twenty-five TO thirty eggs These eggs
hatch 0ut iH about ten days and give birth to
now generation ct Larvae, which produce
thouptQous female. 80 male is known UNI
der this state This j. mode of reproduc-
ton often met with in the inferior animals,
being called parthcnocenosis.
Professor Chauzit also saws that q single
larYa is able % produce more than 10000, 900
Of other larvw from the month Of April to
November During the month OF July, III
the central part OF France, the nymphs are
found DOB The roots of the vines IN this state
the body is longer and Of a deeper yellow,
with two dark violet spots on each side;
these neither eat nor lay eggs, but develop in
about fifteen or twenty days into winged
plvl0Ngra, which resemble little yellow fly
s.iu long wings They are carried by the
wind or ifs o. new fields of labor These
aI-At on the under side OF the leaves and lay
several eggs, either on the leaves. shoots or
trunks Of the vines In about two weeks
these eggs hatch out sexual individuals with
a
are larger than the males They mate rs
soon as maturod then the male dies After
tuc former have laid one large egg apiece,
which thoy deposit under the bark Of wood
over one year old. they die also. These eggs
lre the sixth state of tho phylloxcra, and are
called winter eggs. because they are not
Matched ont until the following spring when
tHoy produce a laying mother, who recon-
muccs the cycle
On the winter egg depends the fate of the
Ihvll0xcra. Professors Balbiaui and Nalery
Mayot Of Paris and Montpelier, say that If
the egg Is destroyed the phyllo1era viii be
extcrminatcd, for the principal link in its
chain IF reproduction is broken, as those on
tue roots would die ont if not re-enforced by
the product Of these eggs. One female is
able TO produce by the end of May 500 eggs.
These. If Matched out safely, would be in
creased 10 10000 la one month. Now as
there are five or six generations ia one sum
mer the enormous number Of 81 200 10000
viii be- reached. and if all the progeny of one
phyloxera lived they would destroy one hec-
tare of vines in year
Several means have been used 10 combat
tho pest. the most successful and expensive
among them Is that Of submersion. Where
vineyards can be kept under water for from
forty 90 sixty days no phylloxera are found.
VINEYARDS 20 be submerged must be on level
ground and lie low, trenches are dug on the
outskirts aud banks thrown up 50 that the
vines VIII bee sunken. then large steam pumps
force tle water into tie vineyard, which is
kept covered L. a depth Of twenty or thirty
incLe- turing the entire period
Another method is 10y fumigations Of sui
phur .t tli, is very costly and the results
don Warrant the expenditure OF its con-
unuas. sulphur carbonate Of potassium
and olatc of sulphur are also used ex-
teuslvo.y Neither exterminates the phyl-
ioyora. only holds them in check. These
chemicals are injurious to the vines, impov
eri,l the soil so much that heavy fertilizers
are required 70 keep lie IN the plants ana
they destroy in measure the weight, quality,
Weld and bouquet Of the vine. Scientific men
have used electricity, dynamite and petro-
legm IN Us different forms, but'siill the phyl-
loXera Iyos The French claim that the pest
originated in the United States 1t is certain
that they were imported into France on
American cuttings which were designed to
give e harder stock TO the French vines. 1t
is a well known fact that American roots
plunge deeper and have more radicals than
the French. On account Of this increased
root power greater vitality is given 70 the
yue, more substance taken from the soil and
stronger resistance 10 all kinds of parasites
and diseases, Just as a strong, healthy man is
sb.c % overcome and fight diseases better
than Ia week one American vines are being
used IN phylloxeraled districts 10 graft
French cuttings on, simply on account Of the
resisting power of their roots, but this is
hope deferred Even American stock will
succumb 10 the persistent ravages Of its In
sldious foe Bordeaux Cor. Brooklyn Eagle.