Page:George McCall Theal, History of South Africa from 1873 to 1884, Volume 1 (1919).djvu/35

1874] a comfortable living by selling citrons, limes, lemons, and the most delicious oranges and nartjes at a shilling the hundred, entirely disappeared before it. Year after year its ravages extended farther and farther, not only in geographical extent but in the variety of plants infested by it, when fortunately it was discovered that a Californian ladybird was its natural enemy and capable of destroying it. Men were sent to California by the government, and the ladybird was introduced. It had a large field to work in, but it proved itself a thoroughly efficient agent, and in course of time, thanks to the perseverance of this little beetle, it became possible to plant orange groves once more. The ornamental blackwood tree has not yet been reintroduced.

Another and still more destructive insect that began to cause alarm in South Africa in 1873 was the phylloxera, that had then done immense damage to the vineyards of France and other parts of Europe. This insect preys upon the roots of the vine, and the first indication of its presence is the death of the plant. How it was introduced into South Africa is not known. When it was realised in 1873 that the scourge was in the country it was hoped that its spread might be checked, for it was supposed to exist in only a few localities, and there the vines were dug up and burnt. Importations of plants of all kinds from abroad were prohibited, through fear of introducing the insect, but this restriction was soon found to have been made too late. The phylloxera spread, and utter ruin was staring a large and important section of the community in the face when a remedy was discovered. There is an American vine whose roots resist the attack of the phylloxera, or upon which it cannot live, and cuttings were obtained and propagated as rapidly as possible. Upon the plant, as soon as it has taken root, the grape bearing vine is grafted, which thus becomes immune from the insect pest. But the expense of replanting a large vineyard is very considerable, and the