448 EXPHHIMKNT STATION HKCOHD. 



An investigation relative to the failure of certain American grape stocks 

 in Sicily, A. Knuiiciu kt al. i liol. Miii. Af/i:, JikIus. c Com. [R.(>m(\, N {I'JOU), 

 iScr. A, No. 27, pp. 7,j')-7(>S). — This is the report to the Italian minister of agri- 

 eultvire of a si)ecial eonnnissiou appointed to investigate the Ciuise of the un- 

 satisfactory growth of certain American grape stocks in the Sicilian vineyards. 

 The report indicates that the stoclcs have failed for. various reasons, such as 

 parasitic tittacks and lack of acclimation and of aflinity between stock and 

 scion, as well as unfavorable soil conditions. 



Starting of the buds of vines, F. T. Bioletti (Pacific Rural Press, 7!) (1910), 

 No. 3, pp. .'il, .)?', pg. 1). — A translation of the results secured by Ravaz in that 

 part of his work which dealt with the influence of various cultural operations 

 on grapes at the time of bud swelling (E. S. R., 21, p. ?>M). 



In general, Ravaz found that good cultivation, fertilizing, irrigation, short 

 jii-nning or anything which produces strong vegetative growth in the vines 

 tends to delay the sprin.g starting of the buds, whereas vines dwarfed by the 

 vicinity of trees or larger vines, lack of cultivation or other causes which 

 lessen their vegetative vigor, start their buds early. He found that if pruning 

 is delaj-ed in the spring until the end buds have grown an inch or more, the 

 lower buds do not start immediately. The actual starting of the fruit buds 

 may be delayed in some cases one, two, or even three weeks. These results 

 suggest a means of delaying the fruiting period in regions where vines are 

 subject to injury from si)ring frosts. 



The influence of a creosote solution on the growth of grape cuttings, J. 

 Beiirens ( Bcr. Landic. Vers. Anst. Augustenb., 1906, pp. Ji9~51). — A number 

 of grape cuttings were immersed in a 1 per cent creosote solution, but neither 

 the growth percentage nor the developmenf of the plants was affected when the 

 immersion was not continued beyond an hour. 



The influence of potassium fertilizers on the composition of ■wine, husks 

 and lees, F. A. Sannino and A. Tosatti (Rivista [VoiicgUano]. ,). ser.. 16 

 (1910), No. 2. pp. 25-29). — Some data are reported on the use of sulphate of 

 potash as a fertilizer for grapes. The results for the past season show an in- 

 crease in the sugar content and a dimuuition of the acidity, together with an 

 increase of cream of tartar in the must. Slight increases of cream of tartar 

 were also found in the husks and lees of the grapes. The work is to be con- 

 tinued. 



On the effect of sulphate of iron used as a vine fei'tilizer on the yield and 

 quality of the product, F. A. Sannino and A. Tosatti (Rivista [Coiiegliauo], 

 .'/. scr., 16 (1910). No, 1, pp. 2-5). — Some experiments w^ere started in 1007 in 

 which sulphate of iron was used as a fertilizer for grapes at the rate of 200 

 gm. per plant. The results thus far secured indicate that this material tends 

 to inci-ease the quantity of grapes but to reduce somewhat the sugar content of 

 the must, and also to increase the amount of iron in the wines. When the 

 pulps alone were made into wine the amount of soluble iron in the wine was 

 greater, whether the grapes were secured from the fertilized or the unfertilized 

 plat, than when the skins were fermented with the pulps. The work is to be 

 continued on a more extensive scale. 



Lemon culture in the Paola region, E. Ferrari (Bol. Arbor. Ital., 5 (1909), 

 Nos. 1, pp. 33-39; 2, pp. 58-67; 3, pp. 110-120; J,, pi). 11,5-180).— A monograph 

 on the lemon with special reference to its culture in the vicinity of Paola, 

 Italy. Considei'ation is given to the geographic distribution of the lemon, local 

 soil and climatic conditions, the biology of the lemon, methods of propagation, 

 selection of site and soil, planting operations and subsequent culture, harvesting, 

 diseases, insect pests, and the industrial and commercial importance of the 

 lemon. An extensive bibliography is appended. 



