Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-01
THE PHYiLOXERA.
THE VINEYARDS MOST INSIDiOU3
AND DESTRUCTIVE ENEMY.
The Nature, multiplication and Habits
OF the Pest-The French Governments
Efforts to Suppress It-Supposed Origin
of the Destroyer.


Efforts to Suppress It-Supposed Origin
of the Destroyer.
Mime. Phylloxera Vastatrix, as the sciep-
fists have named her. is shown in actu fla
granite, by many Illustrations In them she
does not appear very formidable. She does
the whole work of destruction, unaided by
her spouse, resembling the busy housewife
seen everywhere in France who does all the
work of the household, tends store, acts as
nurse, seamstress and cook while the man Of
the house, seldom seen at home, is probably
talking politics at the cafe. But madam is
always busy. Two ideas absorb all her en-
ergies; one is to raise large, prolific family;
the other is to find farms in her immediate
vicinity for them ALL Her ambitious efforts
are always crowned with glorious success, so
that her family and the name of Phylloxera
become mighty in the land, oftener repeated
than that of the great Napoleon.
EntomologistS divide the phylloxern vasta-
trix into SIX different stages. First, the
larva; second, apterous female; third. nyrnph;
fourth, the winged state; fifth, sexual indi-
viduals; sixth, winter egg As soon as an
egg is Matched the larva begins to use it's suck
ers on the tender radicals where it was laid
times four, changes, similar to the casting Of
the skin or shell of locust or crab: each
time the skin cracks open on the back and
falls off, after every molting the insect be.
coming darker yellow. All this is accom-
plished within few days; then it has reached
maturity-now measuring three-fourths of
millimeter in width and one-half of milf
meter in length. 1t begins to lay two or
three eggs every four or five days. if the
temperature permits. In this state it lays
from twenty-five to thirty eggs. These eggs
hatch out in about ten days and give birth to
a new generation of Larvae, which produce
the apterous female No male is known I'M
der this state. This is a mode of reproduc-
ton often met with in the inferior animals,
being called parthenogenesis.
Professor Chauzit also says that single
larva is able to produce more than 20. OO0. 900
Of other Larvae from the month of April to
November. During the month OF July, in
the central part of France, the nymphs ara
found in the roots OF the vines In this state
the body is longer and of 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
phylloxera, which resemble a little yellow fy
with long wings They are carried by tho
wind or fly TO new fields Of labor These
ahght on the Under side Of the leaves and Law
several eggs. either on the leaves, shoots or
trunks Of the vines. In about two weeks
these eggs hatch cut sexual individuals with
out proboscis or digestive organs The females
are larger than the males They mate as
soon as matured; then the male dies. After
the former have laid one large egg apiece.
which they deposit under the bark Of wood
over one year old. they die also These eggs
are the sixth state Of the phylloxera. and arc
called winter eggs because they are not
Matched out until the following spring. when
they produce n laying mother, who recon-
mences the cycle.
On the winter egg depends the fate Of the /
phylloxera Professors Balbiani and Valerv !
Mayet, of Paris and MONTPELIER say that IL /
the egg is destroyed the phylioxera will he I
extermiDated, for the principal link ia its /
chain Of reproduction is broken, as those On /
the roots would die cut If not REINFORCED by |
the products Of these eggs One female IS /
able 70 produce by the end Of MAY so egyx.
These, If hatched ont safely, would be in
creased 70 80, 90 in one month. Now rs
there are five or SIX generations in one SUN
rner the enormous number Of s2 800 0,ss 90 .
viii be reached, ard If all The progeny Of chs
lived they would destroy one hec- /
tsrs Of vines in year.
Several means have been us>ri % cornba. 4
the pest; the most successful and erpeaE.va I
among them Is that Of subusrr5on. Whera
vineyards can be KEEP: under water for from
forty 70 sixty days 10 phyllorers are found.
Vineyards 70 be submerged must he on lsvsI
ground and lie low; trenches are dug On the
outskirts and tanks thrown up 80 TIA. tie
vines VIII be sunseI: then large steam Te,ry.rz
force the water into the vineyard, which Is
kept covered % depth of twenty or thirty
inches during the entire period
Another r1stbod Is by fuinszafio-s ~ sui
pbur, but tins Is very c1s.iy snd the results
do not warTa1t the s1pendsi1r. CT ia cen-
tlnua-ace. Sulphur carbonate Of potassium |
And cartoc2ate q Sulphur are also used en-
Neither srt@rrninates the pkyi-
lo1ers; only holda than n check The.e
chemicals are faigrio1s 20 tie vlues. iroox-
srlsa tse sol - uzach that heavy fertilizers
are required 20 keep nfs ia tie y4xz-s szd !
Trey de9.ruF IN 8 MEASURE tie weight: quality,
ylead AID bouquet % tie Tlne. Scientific n4xn |
have used electricity. dynamite ard pesrc-
ssn Il sts different FORMS. bat ssiil tie tnyg-
.orera lives. The French cain fha; TIRE r>-z.
originated IN the United 5.A.es IL - certain
hat ikey wsvS imported into Frasse. ca
American cuttings Which were d~xsxrse-s 70
1--WE . harder stock u 10 Frerca yi.sez. IL