The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, February 6, 1898, Page 19

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1898. n sim- has the v in California for it is here originates rsity in Berke- to send a spe- vestigate and re- the discovery. )nstant terror S cely be real- jeadly phyl ra prob- ifornia will be able to ince and It in the wines imported flourishing wine on padr em alongside ates had tried but unsuc- they throve years the 1 as many tive ones. But then in to brew. The phyl- a natural parasite to the r ver, ate he Arm- d ttacked sed to bear less able he deadly first noticed that the i into august mem- had to give The unique spec- tists sprir g the toads’ legs on rching in sol- g cow bel three \ingaround twic other onies ad infinitum, amusement to spread r the gloom of yment. But a ripple of n fully ured. Entire vi succumbed t the dread parasite had to e involved lable sum as the one ation. sald % roja vine. can. resist t send over there uproot our 1, grafting the phylloxera we mu for of th a quantity n, s, and replant the | sts agreed that this was the| only thing to be done, but how to| bring it about was the serious prob- | lem that confronted them. The peasant | could not afford to uproot his vineyards | lant them, so the Government | came to aid. The magnitude of the | expense incurred can be partially real- | . when it is stated in the French | iment statisties that it amounted | han the entire cost of the| an war, including the in- five billions, property de- and food and pay for the Stro; d, troops. But scientists did not cease to grap ple with the problem of destroying the phylloxera itself, for it has alwa, been believed that it could be solved | 1 some W other than by uprooting | and replanting. However, it locked as | thou nor of dis¢overing the me; ng it out would fall to some unborn scientist in the centuries to come. The act providing for the re- ward of $300,000 to the inventor was allowed to become illegal, and then comes forward M. Henri de Dubois with what is thought is the true solu- tion. M. de Dubols believed, with other students, that there must be a parasite of the phylloxera, and if that could be found the ph —that is to lloxera would be doomed ay, that the phylloxera, a :If which feeds on grape be wiped out, if a para- e that feeds on the phylloxera could found. M. de Dubois discovered the action of the parasite upon the phylloxera en- tirely by accident. He had thrown some handfuls of contaminated earth and fertilizer on a pot with a vine Infested by the phylloxera, and having that the | | O/zy//oxem ot Last Chris Yleans Hlillions of Dollars Saved HAnnually to the World. o, 6o peree®C00o, e ° ®e, ROOT PHYLLOXERA DURING HIBERNA- TION—BACK VIEW. 000000000000 00 ROOT PHYLLOXERA DURINC HIBERNA- TION—FRONT VIEW. ; g . o ” . . . All France Jubilant Over the Discovery of a Remedy ¢ The State University Will Send a Representative to . 0 . for the Terrible Destroyer of 8 Study the Remedy for the Benefit - Grape Vines. 8 of California. 3 o 0000000000000 00C000000000000 00OOOOO000000000000000000000000000002 % 5 00000000 2 PHYLLOXERA IS DOOMED. o & [} WILL SAVE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. © News ccmes from France that afoe to the deadly phylloxera g o The dasnagc being done to grapevines ‘throughout the O has just been discovered by a sci:ntist named M. de Dubois. ¢ g world by phylloxera can hardly be estimated. In fact, it g The fce is said to be a certain kind of vegetable bacteriathat © ° threatened to wipe the vineyards off the face of the earth. © fas its origin in a fertilizer. Its method of destroying the phyl- g ROOT PHYLLOXERA IN ACTIVITY. © The French Government has long had a stand ng offer of © oxera is similar to the work of the Australian lady-bug that ¢ [ Stths timebar the eactitcs g $300,000 for a preventive of the deadly sccurge. It is hoped g was imported into the Sta‘e a few years ago and saved our © damage fo the vines by stinging © that thz discovery will prove zll- that is claimed for it,and in o orchar;’s‘ from the d:adiy San Jose scale. © them while in search of nourishment for g that case it will save the world biliions of dollars. %0000000000000000000000000000000000 itself. occasion to dissect seme of the phyl-| loxera he found, to his surprise, that| they were full of bacteria, and that it took but three days to destroy the phyl- loxe This led him to a on this vir fi he and endeavor to litions favorable and unfavor- | r the growth and development of | 2. The experiments thus far | been conducted on the laboratory but with the most gratifying re- | the bact he professors at Berkeley are anx- | sly awaiting the latest reports, and if favorable some one of them will be | sent to France to study this welcome | parasite that feeds upon its brother parasite and destroys it. The head of the department of viticulture, when )ned as to the importance of this overy, said that it could not poss be cverestimated. “If M. de Du- bois has discovered the natural para- of the phylloxera, and we have good reason to believe he has, one of - greatest problems confronting mot ornia, but other well, has been solved. The has spread from America, ver the wine-producing world. Italy, in, Portu orth and South e vitzerland, a, Tur 1 to understand the difficult of M. de Dubois it must be re- embered that these bacteria are in- mal in s so small that it re- s a microscope of at least 900 diam Jower to see them, and that it would take more than 1000 billion tc make a it is impossible to ory, as they exist in soil alone, on account of the grains of sand hiding them. With such an in- dustrial bacteriological laboratory as we have at Berkeley and which the ly one west of the Miss ippi River, n as we learn something definite an commence work. “The first thing to be done 1s tcisolate them and then to find some transpar- we ent medium, which corresponds to soil, | in which these bacteria will grow. Then, having found this medium, you iment with a great number > to find the most favorabl > grown at all p oper temperature is ¢ can then be multiplied at | to be two forms he work being done to ascertain which flicient. This is work | 13 ert and experi- enced bacteriologist. The ordinary viticulturist would find it beyond him. Once having isolated the bacteria and knowing its life history it will be easy to find practical means for multiplying and applying it. “The life ory of the phylloxera is | complicated. The winter egg, | opical in size, corrugated like a | s thimble with hook in the end, | fastened by the female insect in the | inning of winter under the old bark. | m this egg comes one insect, which crawls up on the tenderest portion of the leaf and stings the upper surface. As the leaf grows around it gall forms on the lower surface. In this gall the original phylloxera lays from 500 to 600 eggs, each onme of which in turn produces an insect which without s uation lays from 400 to 500 eggs. Each ot which is developed from > of these will lay from 300 to 400 and =0 on down, making a geo- rical progression that cannot be red. As vet It is harmless to the vines, and remains on the leaf for a va e time. After an uncertain length of time it becomes the danger- root form. It continues to lay an infinitesimal number of eggs and re- produces itself without sexuation. | After it has remained on roots of vines | for an undetermined period a small | number come up on the trunk of the vine and become the winged form. one of these lays from four to elght eggs. The insects coming from these eggs are males and females. This is the only sexuation form, and they are without a mouth or digestive ap- paratus. The moment their mission in life is accomplished both die. The. fe- male lays one egg, which is the orig- inal winter egg with which the pro- gression started. “Few people in California realize that our vineyards are constantly ap- proaching the state that made it nec- essary for France to uproot hers. The imported vines in California under the present conditions are doomed to de- | truction. It is only in California that | grapes will grow that make wines of | the European pattern, but the phyl- | oxera is eating them away. There are | in California at present 185,000 acres | of vines on non-resisting roots—that | is, foreign roots which cannot with- | stand the phylloxera. Tiil the news of this discovery it was believed that CO00000000000000000000000000000000000OO00000000000000C00 Yalue of the Discovery to the Vineyards of California. 1 certainly consider the communication of Monsieur Dubois to the Academy of Sciences of France worthy of thorough investigation. If it be true that a parasite of phylloxera has been discovered, it is of the greatest importance to the State of California. From the account published in the “Comptes Rendus” of the Academy of Sciences of France (November 15, 1897, page 790) it would seem that something has actually been found and isolated that positively kills the phylloxera. The problem now to be sclved is its practical application. This of course requires a vast amount of experiment and labor in the laboratory and vineyard. It is not permissible to doubt the fact that there has been isolated and cultivated a parasite as described. The Academy of Sciences of France is the greatest scientific body in the world, and none but the best observ- ers are able to have communication received and printed as part of the transactions of that body; so that when a fact is stated in the “Comptes Rendus” the world must accept it. The actual value of the observa- tion remains of course to be determined. The fact, however, must be accepted. The College of Agriculture has an excellent industrial laboratory, and is trying to procure some of the Du- bois bacteria, but it is very doubtful if we can do so for some time to come. Even if we do procure some, it will take a long time to experiment with it so that we can find the most practical methcd of applylng it. We should utilize the experiments of the many foreign scientists who are at work on the problem, by sendingsome one on to investigate. The whole thing may turn out to be valueless, then again it may prove to be the saving of the 187,000acres of vines still left to u that we cannot afford to ignore it, especially as the cost of investigation is merely nominal. ARTHI"R P. HAYNE, Assistant Professor in charge of Viticulture and Olive Culture. OCCOCOCOCOO000C00000000000000 0000000000000 000000000000000 00C000C0000000000000000000C000000000C0NC00000000000000 VERY LATEST EQ,fiESTR.I.HN ACT IN VAUDEVILLE | | | | and by site of the cottony cushion scale. A | specialist was sent to Australia and six couples of the ladybirds were | tained for free distribution, and thus | lars the fruit and flower industry of | lions of dollars, was saved. | parasite of | entailed in uprooting and 00000000000000000000000000000000000% every acre of these vines was doomed to destruction in the course of time,} varying according to the circum- stances, some perhaps withstanding for ten years, others holding out for fifty, but eventually all wouldsuccumb to the deadly parasite. There would then be nothing to be done but uproot them and replant them with resistant American roots grafted with table and wine grapes. The loss entailed by this can be relatively estimated by a study of the cost of replanting the vineyards of France. Only once be- fore has California been threatened with as dangerous a calamity, and then, too, we were saved just in time similar means. Every fruit tree in California was threatened with imminent destruction from the cot- tony cushion scale, which had spread here from Australia. An immense sum of money was spent fighting it, uselessly. It was then discovered that the collopterae (or, as it is more com- monly called, ladybird) is a para- brought to California. By muitiplying and breeding them enough were ob- at the expense of a few thousand dol- California, valued at hundreds of 1inil- If the the phylloxera has been | found we can undoubtedly handle them in our laboratory, breed and multiply them, and then distribute them, with proper and minute instrue. tions, to the vineyardists of the State, thus saving to them at least $20,000,000, for that would be the minimum loss replanting. California should not be behind France in fervently hoping that the ratvral parasite of the phylloxera has been really found.’ g Should the phylloxera p solved it is to be hoped t Diubois will receive for his services. France will undoubt- cdly venew the offer of the re $200.000 fer the discoverer, and ¢ fornia, reaping such material bene- fit from the timely disc i i v to allow herself to of lack cf generosi M. de materiad reward be accusaed THE LATEST ACT WITH A HORSE. ONG ago the circus reached out and appropriated certain features of tne vaudeville show to add interest and variety to its own legitimate per- formances, but it is only very re- cently that the vaudeville entertainment saw its way clear to a friendly revenge. The horse is a beautiful and intelligent animal, susceptible of high training, and capable of doing “turns” which delight even the most captious of audiences, but | he has, or has had heretofore, one great drawback as a stage artist, and that is that he generally requires quite a large amount of space in which to display his accomplishments, and space is somewhat inconveniently limited behind the foot- lights. Professor Gautier, now exhibiting his own nerve and his equine pupil’s surpris- ing intelligence and docility at the Or- pheum, has, however, managed to orig- inate a sort of “multum in parvo” act which brings down the house nightly. The preparations for his part of the evening's programme are simple in the | extreme. There is no scattering of saw- | dust and no glitter of spangles and tinsel. | A circular platform fifteen feet in diame- ter is erected, ten feet above the stage | proper, on slender but strong iron sup- | ports, and up an inclined plane leading | to it dashes the horse in charge of an equerry, and facing the audience bows his acknowledgments of the applause which he has learned to think his due. A moment later and his master is in the saddle, the equerry has disappeared tak- ing the gangplank with him, and the | handsome, clean-limbed, satin-skinned | creature begins to “‘mark time” critically | and accurately with one of his dainty | fore hoofs. Then, after getting fully iuto | the swing of the music, he begins a serfes | of evolutions and convolutions which | would win him hearty praise even If per- | formed on the broad and safe expanse of | a circus ring, but which are simply as- tonishing considering the extremely nar- row and danger-surrounded limits which | encompass him. He marches and counter marches, does “steps”. intricate and graceful enough to make the ordinary danseuse envious, waltzes as if waltzing were a positive | pleasure, and “reverses” again and again, | all in perfect time with the orchestra ahd apparently with the greatest appreciation of his own skill. Not once does he lose \ \ 19 EUROPEAN NON-RESISTANT VINES BE. FORE AND AFTER ATTACK. his own head or endanger that of his master and instructor, who rides like a centaur, guides him with steady rein and directs him only with a quiet word and a light touch of foot and hand now and then. Faster and faster grows the music and the small hoofs mark and accent every measure with never a slip or a misstep. Round and round the very edge of the perilously small circle he dances, with flashing eyes and tossing head, excited but not confused by the glare of the lights directed full upon him, the noise of the music at his feet and the loud ap- plause which follows his every move- ment. Then comes the finale—a dizzy pirouetta in the center of his mushroom-like stage, ending in a noble tableaux. Straight up into the air he rears, his front hoofs pointing to the zenith, and in this most artistic pose he stands statuesquely im- movable until his rider’s signal tells mum that his responsibility as an entertainer is over for the evening. —_————— A_WAIF OF THE REVOLUTION. “The Adventures of Francois,” the new story by Dr. S. Weir Mitchell, au- thor of “Hugh Wynne,” is running as a serfal in The Century. The author, in the sub-title, describes his hero as “Foundling, Thief, Juggler and Fenc- ing Master During the French Revolu- tion.” In the February number of the magazine there is the following ac- count of one of the tricks of Francols and his pet dog Toto: Francois, as he used to relate, hav- ing risen in his profession, found a certain pleasure in good clothes, and belng of a dramatic turn, could put on an air of bourgeois sobriety, or, with a sword at his side and a bit of lace here and there, swagger as a lesser gentle- man. If things were very bad, he sold Toto and all his fine tricks for a round sum, and in a day or two was sure to find the dog overjoyed and back again at the garret door. The pair were full of devices. There was Toto, a plated snuff box in his mouth, capering be- fore some old gentle or some slow pac- ing merchant; appears Francois, re- sistlessly smiling. ‘‘Has monsieur lost a snuff box?” “My .dog? Yes, monsieur; but he is honest and clever, too.” Monsieur, hastily searching, produces his own snuff box—the indispensable snuff box of the day. “No; thanks.” And it is noted that the box he shows is of gold, and into what pocket it falls. In the next crowd Toto knows how to make a disturbance with some fat lap dog, and in the con=- fusion thus created the snuff box changes owners. “If the man be sorry I at least am made happy,” says Francois; “and he hath been the better for a lesson in caution. I got what I needed, and he what he required. Things are very even in this world.” Francois had learned philosophy among the cures and priests of the choir house. As he avoided great risks, and, as I have said, was averse to violence, he kept clear of detection, and could deceive the police of the King if by rare chance he was in peril of arrest. When the missing property was some minor arti- cle, such as a handkerchief, it was in- stantly hid in Toto’s mouth. The dog skipped away, the outraged master was BSearched; the bewildered owner apologized, and the officers were shock- ed at such a needless charge. Francois talked about his offended honor, and as he Jooked at 20 to be a strong man of full age, the affair was apt to go no further. Half the cleverness and thought thus devoted to an ignoble pursuit would have given him success in more honest ways. But for a long time no angel chance tempted him, and it must be admitted that he enjoyed the game he pursued and was easily contented, not eagerly caring to find a less precarious and less risky mode of life. Temperanient is merely a permanent mood. Francois was like the month of June in his dear Paris. There might be storms and changes, but his mental weather had the pleasant insurance of what was in the order of his despotic nature. To be the owner of the con- tinual sunshine of cheerfulness has its drawbacks. It deprives a man of some of the wholesome lures of life. It dulls the spurs which goad us to resolve. It may make calamity too easy of en- durancé. To be consistently cheer- ful may be in itself a misfortune. It had for this vagrant all the values and some of its defects. His simple, gay existence and his flow of effervescent merriment kept him happy and thoughtless. Most persons of this rare | type like company, but Francois was an exception. He was better pleased to be alone with his Gog and usually desired no other company. As the poodle could not talk his master was given to making answers for him, and finding no one to his taste among the Crab’s villainous lodgers, kept to him- self and was satisfied. Nor did he ever appear to have imagined what the larger world he knew not held of human society which would have com- forted that void in his heart which he acknowledged at times, but had no way to fill. When fortune played him some sorry trick he laughed. and un- consciously queted La Rochefoucauld. “Toto, ah, my Toto, one can never be as cunning as everybody.” This was apropos of an incident which greatly amused him.