Graftee Vineyards. 561 



GRAFTED VINEYARDS. 



Report of the Commission of Investigation, consisting 

 of P. J, Cillie (C.'s son), A. I. Perold, B.A., Ph.D., 

 and S. W. van Niekerk (Government Viticul- 

 turist). 



Introduction. 



Although the lecoustitutiou of our viueyards on Auierican stocks — 

 commenced some thirty years ago — has been more speedy and attended 

 with g'reater success than in otlier wine-producing countries of the 

 world, it must be acknowledged that in this connection there are 

 numerous difficulties which still require elucidation. It would 

 appear that this fact is recog-nized by the wine farmers themselves, 

 and as a consequence of representations which were made to the 

 Secretary for Agriculture by the Paarl and French Hoek Farmers' 

 Associations, as well as by individual farmers, the ])resent commission 

 was appointed to inspect and report upon the condition of our grafted 

 vineyards. 



The report has been divided into three sections: — (1) Short 

 description of the usefulness of American stocks ; (2) summary of the 

 results of the investigation; and (3) recommendations. 



(1) Short Description of the Usefulness of American Stocks. 



It was originally the general impression that any American 

 stock was completely resistant to phylloxera. Experience has, how- 

 ever, taught us that this is not the case. Our wine farmers as a 

 whole do not apparently realize all the factors which will determine 

 whether any given American stock under certain ciicumstances will 

 be phylloxera resistant. The commission has therefore considered i^ 

 advisable to deal brieflv ^itb this phase of the question before giving 

 the results of its findings. 



In the first place it must be remembered that the success or failure 

 of a grafted vine is governed by its capacity for growth on the one 

 hand and the attacks of phylloxera on the other. Everj^ circumstance 

 which increases the former is to the advantage of the vine, and vice 

 versa. So far as the attacks of phylloxera are concerned, it will be 

 quite evident that everything which favours the attack is also a 

 source of danger to the vine, and vice versa. 



Factors winch Influence Growth. Factors which Infl^uence the 



Attacks of Phylloxera. 



The stock. The stock 



Soil. Soil. 



Climate. Clima^. 

 Cultivation and manuring of soil. 

 Treatment of vine. 



