Evening star., 1933-12-24
BY REXFORD GUY TUGWELL.

A NTICIPATING the repeal Of the
~ eighteenth amendment, wrote
~ in these columns a few weeks
4 \ ago of an ironic episode in the
long and friendly relations be-
tween France and the United States.
The decline of the vineyards Of France
in the fiftieS of the last century, a re-
suit of the infestation Of phylloxera,
was finally checked when the roots OF
the American wild grape were grated
to the French vines; and the French,
in gratitude, erected a striking nonu-
ment at Montpelier. Having rescued
the French grape industry, years later
we proceeded to cast legal blight over
our own grape industry, to the amaze
ment of the French-and OF ourselves.
Since writing of this I have learned
of some of the episodes in the efforts
of the Department Of Agriculture to
serve the grape grower through the
years. one of the efforts indirectly in
volving. it so happens, relations with
France.
Concerned With Production.
Though never looked upon as a bull
partment of Agriculture has necessarily
been concerned with the production
problems of the farmers who grow
grapes for wine, barley for beer and
grain for hard liquors. In those inno-
cent days before prohibition it seemed
to be taken for granted that the good
Lord intended the juice of the grape
to be consumed, in whatever ways might
be pleaSentest, and there was a dis
position among the scientists Of the
Department of Agriculture to help the
processes of Nature. 1t was a scien-
tific, not moral, problem to them, if
they happened to be ardent drys-as
indeed some of them were-they sue
ceeded in segregating their moral
opinions from their scientific tasks.
Hence the amusing spectacle Of the
Department Of Agriculture, three or
four years ago, issuing one Of its
thorough bulletins on how to grow
tions on what to do with the grapes
after they were grown. There was con-
scientious effort in the bulletin, of
course, to adhere to the letter of the
law of the land, but to the wicked and
to those of dark intent, alas, some pas
sages Of the bulletin seemed to be very
helpful.
The departments earlier efforts to
help the grape industry are brought to
mind by the recent retirement from ac-
tive duty of one of the departments
most distinguished scientists, Dr. Bev-
erly T. Galloway.
Coming to the department in 1887 as
an assistant plant pathologist he be-
came chief of the Division of Vegetable
Physiology and Pathology the following
year. That was before there was any
bureau of plant industry; the word
vegetable" covered about every plant
that grew, and the divisions early duties
| We're consequently many and varied.
Because the grape growers were hav-
Ing to contend with new and mysterious
plant diseases DR.. Galloway and his
colleagues early turned their attention
to them. Along the Eastern Shore of
Maryland, down in Virginia and up in
New Jersey fourishing crops Of wine
grapes were ruined by disease. The
scientists had identified the guilty
fungus and had developed a spray that
would control it fairly well, but most
Of the growers were without the means
of using it.
The French growers, it seems, were
ahead of us in this respect, but the
cost of importing hand spray pumps
from France was prohibitive. As DR..
Galloway wrote in the Journal of Ny
cology in 1890, Heretofore we have had
to rely mainly upon machines imported
from France; in fact, with but one ex-
ception. the only pumps that have given
satisfaction in our vineyard work have
been purchased abroad. The average
fruit grower cannot afford to send to
France for a machine that will cost
him. laid down in this country. all the
! way from S18 to S25. . We have
had the matter of providing a cheap
and Serviceable knapSack pump under
consideration for some time, and can
now positively announce that the ma
chine will be on the market in a few
weeks. The pumps will be made in two
or three styles. and as there will be no
patent on them we hope manufacturers
throughout the country will be able to
offer them at about S12, thus placing
them within the reach of all -