Phylloxera.

Manawatu Herald, 9 December 1897, Page 3

Phylloxera.

Phylloxera was discovered by Mr Sohultz, the Government expert, among the vines first planted by Mr W. H. Beetham at his residence* Masterton. The vines there have been planted from seven to ten years. Last year they showed signs of falling off, but Mr Beetham attributed the oauae to the encroachments of a macrocarpa hedge, and he had a ditch dug between the hedge, and the vines so as to intercept the roots.

As be gathered over 20001bs of grapes from an eighth of an acre he anticipated no blight or disease. The parasite is supposed to have travelled from Auckland, where phylloxera has existed^for years, but Mr Beetbam i 9 perplexed respecting it, as he has had no consignments of plants from the North. The insect haß been detected on vines in one or two other gardens in the neighbour hood, and the necessary notices have been issued by the Minister of Agriculture with a view of eradicating the pest. As yet no signs of the disease have been discovered at Lanfdowne, close to Masterton, where Mr Beetham has been cultivating vines on a somewhat extensive Bcale. It ib Mr Beetham's intention to substitute, for the infected vines, vines grafted on diseaße-proof stock, viz., the wild vines of America. — Time*