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19 MINUTES OF EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON VINE DISEASES BILL.
T. Hardy, Esq. { 3 Sept., 1886.
18. Has anything been done in Geelong? No, nothing at all has been attempted in the way of cure ; the vines have been simply rooted up.
19. Over what area was it spread in Geelong. How many vineyards were attacked ? I know the vineyards well enough, but at the present moment I could not tell the aereage ; I fancy somewhere about 150 acres.
20. Have you any idea how long it had been spreading over that area? It was first discovered in 1877 or 1878 ; 1877 probably ; and it had then spread some 9 or 10 miles altogether. How long it had been spreading that far of course no one could say. It must have been some years in getting that distance.
21. Have you ever inspected any vineyard attacked by this disease when in full bearing ? Yes, the first time I saw the disease was in January, at the time the crop was on the vine.
22. Can you give us some idea of the appearance of the bunches when attacked by phylloxera ? The grapes suffered the same as the vines from the disease, that is to say, the bunches were small and scarcely worth anything.
23. Flagging, as it were ? Yes, the whole vine, fruit, and leaves.
24. Were you appointed alone or in conjunction with other gentlemen to inspect the vines ? With four others, as the representative of South Australia.
25. Has no attempt been made by chemicals to get rid of the disease ? I think some experiments have been tried by people who suppose they have some remedy, but never anything effective.
26. I understand you to say nothing has been done to the ground at Geelong, where this disease was known to exist, except to dig up the vines? During the last year or so, since the present Phylloxera Commission has met, they recommended that the land should be trenched, and chemicals have been used.
27. Can you give some idea what these chemicals are ? Bisulphide of carbon, the same as is used for killing rabbits, but we found that it was quite useless. The mode in which they used the chemical is comparatively useless.
28. Mr. King.] It evaporates very quickly ? Very quickly.
29. Mr. Hill.] Have you ever tried Jaynes' Disinfectant ? No, I never heard of it being tried.
30. Has your attention ever been drawn to the insect in a state of migration, that is, moving from one vineyard to another? No, I do not think it possible for any one to see that. There has never been a winged insect seen in Victoria ; no authenticated instance.
31. Do I understand you to say that you have seen them on the root with the naked eye ? Yes.
32. And you never saw a winged one ? No.
33. We have a drawing here of the insect ; I should be glad to know if what you have seen is anything like that ? Yes, that is the insect.
34. Mr. King.] This (another drawing) is the winged insect ? They have been searched for in Victoria time after time, but have never been seen.
35.Mr. Hill.] You have never seen any winged insect yourself ? I have never seen it myself, and I know no one who has done so.
36. Have you any idea how long it takes the sect to destroy a vineyard, say of 20 acres? I have no certain knowledge, but I think it takes from three to seven or eight years, roughly speaking.
37. Have you ever seen any vineyards in Geelong established in sandy soil ? No.
38. Mr. King.] You have been in France ? Yes, I have been in the country affected with phylloxera in France.
39. Are you aware whether curative measures have suceeded in France ? They have suceeded to a certain extent. The practice in the south of France is not to eradicate the disease but to check it. When phylloxera is seen in any particular spot they apply sulpho-carbonate of potassium to the soil. The effect of using this chemical is simply to check the spreading of the disease. No one pretends he can get rid of it entirely by the use of any disinfectant ; and I think myself it is impossible to do so. I look at it in this way : that the roots of the vine penetrate to great depths in the soil, much deeper than can be reached by any chemical application ; and where the roots of the vine penetrate the phylloxera can follow.
40. The Government having ascertained that there are five vineyards affected with phylloxera, comprising 15 acres, within a radius of 5 miles of Camden, would you consider it desirable that these vineyards should be destroyed, or that curative measures should be resorted to ? I think undoubtedly the vineyards should be destroyed. I do not think any other mode of dealing with them will be satisfactory ; wholly destroyed, not partially destroyed.
41. Assuming that in the vicinity of these affected vineyards there are other vineyards which do not show any trace of phylloxera ;––would you recommend that these unaffected vineyards should be also destroyed at once ? No, I would not ; I would not destroy any vineyard without finding it diseased. I think that was where we made a mistake at Geelong, by the indiscriminate destruction of vineyards ; but a very strict supervision should be made of the neighbouring vineyards for some years after the destruction of those affected.
42. Do you think the insect ever attacks the wood of the vine when the leaves are off. I mean would it be found on cuttings ? I do not think there is much danger in removing cuttings, especially of the last year's wood ; but there is a great deal of danger in allowing rooted vines to be taken from the diseases districts. I look upon clause 8 of the present Bill as one of the most important parts of it––to prevent the removal of vines from any diseased district.
43. Do you think there would be any danger in removing grapes ? No, I do not.
44. Mr. Hill.] Simply because you say the insect is not to be found on the surface ? It never has been found on the surface in Australia yet.
45. Mr. King.] What should be the process of destruction ? Every vineyard that is destroyed should be trenched to a depth of 18 inches ; the whole of the vines and roots should be carefully burnt on the ground ; and the ground should then be sown with grass, and not be allowed to be cultivated or moved for at least seven years. I believe there is likelihood of danger from the implements used in cultivation. If a piece of ground affected with phylloxera were cultivated for root crops, for instance, the implements used might be taken to other places, and they would be more likely to spread the disease than any other means. But by laying down the ground to grass it would be free from any danger of that kind.
46. Do you think the persons employed in rooting up the vines might carry the infection––do you think, for instance, they should leave their boots behind when they leave the affected ground ? As a matter
of