876 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



unprofitable tliey are replaced by the best varieties grafted on 

 resistant stocks, and thus before the whole of the original vineyard 

 has succumbed, or been thrown out of bearing, the earlier recon- 

 stituted portion is beginning to be profitable. This avoids a large 

 outlay at one time, and is the plan adopted at the College vineyard. 



The importance of continuing our experimental work is still as 

 urgent as ever. We may fairly claim in Victoria to have done a good 

 deal in demonstrating the adaptabibity of the various resistant stocks 

 to the diverse soils and climates of our viticultural areas, as well as 

 testing the grafting aflfinities of these stocks to our principal varieties 

 of wine and table grapes. In this respect it may be noted that, at 

 my request, the Government placed itself in communication with the 

 British consul in Greece to ascertain what was regarded there — the 

 home of the currant industry — as the most suitable resistant stock 

 for the Zante currant. The reply may perhaps be taken as a tribute 

 to the value of our own experimental work, seeing that, though we 

 have found by actual experiment, stocks which possess good grafting 

 affinity for this particular variety, yet in Greece they are only now 

 commencing their experiments by growing seedlings. 



Still very much remains to be done, and experiments should be 

 systematically carried out in every viticultural district to equip us for 

 the important work of reconstituting. 



It would be an excellent plan to have a small area reconstituted 

 by the Department in every phylloxerated district. The grower 

 might reasonably be expected to provide the labor, and the value of 

 reconstitution would be practically demonstrated under the observa- 

 tion of those whose life work is being destroyed by the invasion of 

 phylloxera. 



Experimental plots of wheat were sown by the working staff. 

 Some plots were manured and some were not. The results which 

 furnished the subject of a special report, afforded a strikingly 

 practical object lesson as to the value of fertilisers. 



District ExfEEiMENT Stations. 

 The nurseries at Bendigo, Great Western and Ararat have been 

 handed over to Mr. H. Keck, Hon. Hans Irvine, and Mr. L. Mooney 

 respectively. The Hon. Hans Irvine, of Great Western, has earned 

 the renewed thanks of this branch and the viticultural community in 

 general for the generous assistance he has rendered in the past and 

 for his promises to continue the same. At Mooroopna the directors 

 of the Goulburn Valley Winery have undertaken to look after the 

 plot and distribute the cuttings and rootliugs. It has therefore been 

 transferred to them, with Mr. H. Fortin as supervisor. The vines 

 sent to Mildura have succeeded well. They have, in fact, made 

 extraordinary growth. There will, henceforth, be a large number 

 of cuttings available from this centre, which, like the one at Longer- 

 enong, is remote from any known infection. At Mildura a permanent 

 experimental station is being established on the block originally 

 selected as the site of the Agricultural College. The fencing, chan- 



