The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-22
PROMPT ACTION TAKEN.
The Pest Said to Have Existed
There for at Least Four
Years.
SURPRISE OF PROFESSOR HAYNE
Livermore the Last Place He Ex-
pected to Find This Dreaded
Vine Disease.

LIVERMORE. CAL, Aug. 21.-Since the
articles on the phylloxera that appeared in
THE CALL subsequent to the Camp Roache
meeting at Wrigh hts, nearly every vine
grower in the State has been apparently
examining his vineyard TO ascertain if the
pest existed there.
This spirit of examination has reached
Livermore, and samples of suspected vines
have been sent to the State University.
To-day Mr.. Hayne, who has stirred up
the vine-growers to action, visited Liver
more and found that the phylloxera not
only existed, but from all appearances had
existed for several years-four, at least.
The chief executive viticulturist officer
has called a meeting of the vlne-growers OF
Livermore for tomorrow, at P. NJ.
Mr.. Hayne will attend the meeting and
give whatever advice is necessary.
The general opinion is that there is no
use trying to disguise the fact that the pest
is in the valley and that it should be rooted
out. The result of the meeting tomorrow
is looked forward to with great interest as
upon its action depends the future of the
wine interests of the valley.
Mr.. Hayne, interviewed by representa-
tive Of THE CALL, said that he was more
surprised at finding the phylloxera in the
Livermore Valley than he had been at his
discovery of the pest in Contra Costa
County, at Mountain View, or on the top
of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
II could hardly believe it. 1t seemed
almost impossible that a dangerous pest
of this kind should have been allowed to
gain firm foothold in a region so pro-
tected as Livermore; more especially after
the terrible rayages it has caused in other
parts of the State. Then, too, Livermore
is the home of the chief executive health
officer of the State Viticultural Commits
sion. One would not be surprised at the
phylloxera remaining unnoticed in the
other regions mentioned, for they are far
from the home of the official whose duty
it is to look after the health of vineyards;
but in this case it is at his very door, and I
little dreamed of finding it here.
''Livermore is one of the most isolated
vine regions of the State, and, owing to
the poverty of the soil which makes its
wines of such high quality, the effects of
the insect are seen sooner in any other
part of California. Had it been discovered
as soon as it got into the valley no great
harm would have been done, but now it
has pretty firm foothold, and ali that can
be done is to SAVE the rest of the vines, for
as long period as we can. By prompt,
energetic measures on the part OF the
neighborhood many years can be added to
the usefulness of the vineyards now
threatened.
prompt destruction of the infested
vines and gradual replanting on resistant
roots viii staye off the inevitable for some
time and cause but the annual loss of
few acres, which, after a year or so of rest,
can be gradually replanted.
1.-The neighbors should back up the
County Horticultural Commissioner and
act as unit, for unless all weak spots are
at once eradicated the destruction will be
swift. For, as | said. the very nature of
the soil that gives quality to the wine rem
ders the vines less capable of resisting this
pest.
THE university will cheerfully render
all assistance in its power. 1t is too bad
that some one from Berkeley was not called
on sooner. OF course, we can't do as much
with $500 year (Which, by the way, is
not yet available) as we could had we been
given the SIS, 900 a year that the Viticul-
turaI Commission got for fourteen years.
But we will do the best we can, even If we
can't get the $500 the last Legislature ap-
propriated to the regents Tor viticultural
purposes.
''In this case it will benecessary for the
experts of the United States Agricultural
Experiment Stations connected with the
university to do as has been done in the
past, namely, to rely on the vine-growers
themselves for travelling expenses. l hope,
however, that the appropriation will be
made available in a week and that more
extended inspection will be possible. It is,
indeed, too bad that competent person
has not been intrusted with this duty, as
it takes much time away from the univer-
sity work of lecturing and instructing
students.
Zone thing l cannot too severely con-
denim, and that is the spirit of self-com-
placency one finds in districts where no
phylloxera has as yet been found. It was
this dwelling in a FOOLS paradise that has
caused the destruction of thousands of
acres of vines in California, and if con-
tinued will cause the final destruction of
all the vineyards in the State on non
resistant roots. The sooner the truth is
fairly and squarely faced the better for all.
1t is childish to try to conceal it,"