VINE GRO^^^NG 1297 



conditions. Although the growers played no part in all these operations, 

 Portuguese tobacco is to-day, according to the writer, in such a position 

 that its intrinsic quality is incapable of further improvement ; on the other 

 hand, the methods of cultivation might be much improved. 



987 - Cultivation and Selection of Viti's rotundifolia and V. Munsoniana (Mus- vine growing 

 cadine Grapes) in the United States. — iiusmaxn George c. and bearing ch.\rle3, - 



in U . S. Department of A'^ricultiirc, Farmer's Bulletin 709, 28 pp., 29 fig. Washington, 

 D. C, April ist, 1916. 



The vines called " Muscadine " in the United States are native and 

 thrive (under suitable conditions of soil and climate) throughout the sea- 

 board plain in the South-east of the Union, from James River to Florida, 

 as far as the Blue Ridge mountains, and from Florida along the coast of 

 the Gulf up to Texas ; towards the north along the Mississippi up to South- 

 east Missouri and the river Tennessee. In this zone about 25 million acres 

 at least (of which a large part at present is uncultivated) are perfectly 

 adapted for the growing of these vines. For some time now the " Musca- 

 dine " vines have been more widely cultivated than all other stocks over 

 a large part of this territon,-, but it is only during the last 10 j^ears that their 

 production has attained to an^^ real commercial importance. Of the two 

 species which bear the name of " Muscadine " the more important is Vitis 

 rotundifolia. It comprises the most widely grown stocks (Scuppermong, 

 Mish, James, Flowers, Thomas, and Eden), and is indigenous in the whole 

 of the above mentioned zone. V. nmnsoniana is if an^-thing one of its sub- 

 tropical varieties, and is native to Florida, the coast zone, the Gulf of Mexico 

 and perhaps to the region adjoining the south-eastern coast of Georgia, 

 V. rotundifolia has small bunches made up of big grapes with big stones. 

 V. munsoniana has comparatively large bunches with small grapes and 

 small stones. Furthermore, it tends to produce continually, and in August 

 it bears buds, flowers and fruits in all stages of development. 



The " Muscadine " stocks are reproduced by seed or are multiplied 

 by slips or laj-ers. The last method is most in use. Grafting which does 

 not give ver\" good results, is rarel}' resorted to. The most commonh' grown 

 varieties have practically a sterile pollen, although their flowers are herma- 

 phrodite. Cross poUenation with vines having exclusively male flowers 

 is therefore necessary. Such is the case with 75 % of the wild vines. It has 

 been clearly estabHshed that these vines are entomophilous. Formerly 

 wild vines grew in suflicient number to guarantee annual cross-poUenation. 

 At present the number is much less, therefore the vineyards have to be 

 planted with them to the extent of one to 8 or 10 fertile vines. It would 

 be highly desirable to place bee-hives in the middle of big vineyards. 

 While, under natural conditions, from 7 to 10 % of the buds of " Musca- 

 dine" stocks produce grape bunches, if they are carefull}' pollenated the 

 proportion producing them is from 20 to 30 %. 



As the average production for 4 year old stocks from 1200 to 1430 

 lbs of grape per acre may be reckoned ; for 5 year old stocks from 2410 to 

 3570 lbs per acre ; for stocks in full bearing from 4550 to 7226 lbs. 



About ^/s of Muscadine grape are used for wine-making, especially 



