The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-07-27
VAN BUREN, VINEYARDS
VICTIMS OF BLACK ROT
Wrong Impression I'm Regard to
Disease. Not so Bad as
Some Think.

The following article by G. h. Prater
was received last week too late for pub
LEGATION. 1t enters into the subject
thoroughly and fully, and will be found
of special interest to all interested in
grape culture
just at the present time the growers
in eastern Van Buren, are thinking more
of rot than any other matters-or at least
more about it. There seems.to be many
different opinions in regard to it and
really several styles at work in the belt.
From early reports and some of the
present talk ore would be led to believe
that the showing for crop was some
what speculative, but on thorough in
quiry and investigation, we do not think
over ten per cent of the crop will be lost
| in the worst sections. OF course there
are individual vineyards where the loss
has already exceeded that amount, but
no particular section has suffered to
greater extent. Taking the entire belt,
we believe the loss to be between three
and four per cent which, comparing with
notes of equal date year ago, shows
marked decrease in the disease. Taking
into consideration that the crop is about
eight days farther IN advance than last
year at this time, and with present
weather conditions it hardly seems pos
sible that the loss will anywhere near
reach last year There is another thing
to look at though. While present con.
dtions show there is no increase, at
large, we fail to find an instance where
the rot was last year, that it is not to a
greater, or less, extent this season The
work of spraying this season has been
wholly experimental, save the advice
given in experimental bulletins and
gathered through discussion at hortcul-
tural gatherings. These are soon for
gotten, as the former are read and the
latter discussed during the winter
months, and before the season opens up
the greater part of US are apt to forget
some of the minor points and our expe-
rience is that these are often the most
, important For instance, many have
sprayed thoroughly since the disease ap-
peared but neglected the early spring
application before the buds started.
Others did spray early and still noticing
some of the disease considered their
work thrown away and ceased to con =
tinue work. The different varieties and
stages of rot required about the same
treatment though of different strength
and compound at different stages in
growth of the vine. In the first place
keep the vineyard clean, not only of
weeds, but have clean posts and clean
\ vines; in fact d o not leave lot of places
for spores to hibernate, that are not
within reach of the spray nozzle. The
, bark left shaggy on the post, or vine, will
afford shelter for enough spores to com
pletely seed the whole farm and be out
: of reach of any machine yet on the
market. Thus if you would spray, pre-
pare your vineyard for it, Then in spray
ing be sure to cover every possible place
where spores can hibernate Spray
thoroughly with clear essence of blue
vitriol. The lime, in this application, is
useless and shows up too quick, making
you think you are through before you
are We are of the opinion that if there
are very great results to be acquired
from spraying after this time. it is with
dust machine, as the dryer the vines
are kept the better; but personally We
would place far the most stress or the
first spraying, and doubt, unless in ex
IRENE cases, if we would continue it af
: ter that There is much discussion in
regard to the variety each one has. Usu
ally it is at once pronounced the dread
ed black rot while the truth of the case
is this is not as destructive as either the
brown rot or mildew, but more perniciou:
and likely to stay with you. A sligh
description of the different rots nigh
be of value, il not of great interest, t
/, most of our readers.
> BLACK ROT.
This disease is first noticeable by tn,
appearance of small brown spots on tn,
upper side of the foliage. These spots
(, vary from the size of pin point to tina
y of field pea. Usually they are abou
the size of a number two shot. Th
Iesv,,. Ho.s A. D..