Zeitungsreise: Living History
A South Tyrolean farmer analyzes the devastating outbreak of powdery mildew (Oidium Tuckeri) in 1852. He attributes the spread of the grapevine disease to unusual south winds and warm, humid weather, and reports on the must quality and the ineffectiveness of treatments attempted so far.
The tools for applying this method on a large scale are a hand sprayer and a bellows. For their rapid handling, two workers are required, one of whom sprays while the other follows on his heels and dusts with the bellows. The illustration follows here, B is a tinplate canister soldered to the pipe of the bellows. C is its brass lid, which closes the canister by means of a screw. The canister itself contains the powder of flowers of sulfur, which falls through a fine sieve placed in the bottom of the canister into the tube of the bellows. To effect the sifting of the powder, the iron hammer D is attached. Its handle consists of a narrow iron strip that strikes the iron rod E with each opening of the bellows, thereby generating an elastic force with which the hammer taps on the underside of the bellows pipe and thus shakes down the powder. Mr. Gonthier invented this bellows;
A report from Meran assesses the impact of grape disease and potato blight on local harvests and rising food costs. It also notes a growing influx of visitors despite summer heat and marks the opening of the school year at the gymnasium, where the Redifian Foundation intends to establish a boarding hall.
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