lyS Journal of Agriculture. [9 March, 1908. 



Subsoiling is very carefully carried out : in some parts to a truly 

 extraordinary depth. No vineyards are ever planted now-a-days without 

 the ground being first hand trenched to a depth of at least 2 feet. 



The vines are usually rod pruned and allowed to grow freely 

 during the summer without tying up or topping. One or more small 

 stakes are usually employed to support the rod or leader. Training on 

 wires is coming into use in some parts but it is by no means general. 



Reconstitution has been a great success in Portugal. The freedom 

 from excess of lime of most of its soils has much simplified the problem 

 and rendered possible the use pf many stocks which prove misatisfactory 

 in calcareous soils. All the American varieties used have come from 

 France, Portuguese growers evidently preferring to try those which had 

 already proved their value in that country instead of raising new seedlings 

 of their own. The different stocks as well as the scions grafted on them 

 can be mo'St conveniently dealt with in connexion with each different 

 district. 



By far the most striking fact in connexion with Portuguese recon- 

 stitution is the suppression of the nursery, in the sense in which we under- 

 stand it, that is to say, the nurser)' of bench grafted cuttings. Portuguese 

 vineyards are now-a-days exclusively established by means of vineyard 

 grafting. Nurseries exist, but they are only for the propagation of the 

 ungrafted American stocks. These are planted out in the vineyard and 

 grafted the following year. This system is so very different from that 

 of France, which we have adopted in Australia, that I made repeated 

 inquiries, but wherever I went I found vine\ ard grafting to be the method 

 used. Many growers have tried the French system of planting nursery 

 struck bench grafted vines, but they have abandoned it in favour of 

 vinevard grafting. Many vineyards, thus reconstituted, are owned by 

 Englishmen keen on using the most efficient system. Wherever I went, 

 whether in English or Portuguese owned vineyards, the opinion, often after 

 careful comparative experiments, was always strongly in favour of vineyard 

 grafting. The large number of vineyards I saw reconstituted in this 

 way and remarkable for their evenness, vigorous growth and generally 

 healthv appearance ai^e strong arguments in favour of the Portuguese 

 method. This great difference of opinion between French and Portuguese 

 authorities is verv interesting, especially to us in Australia, and has been 

 a complete surprise to me. I am collecting all the evidence I can on 

 the subject and on my return to France I intend to obtain further informa- 

 tion from the leading Ffench authorities on the whole question. 



The season at Avhich the Portuguese perform their grafting is very 

 different to what one is usually accustomed. French authorities recom- 

 mend grafting in the vineyard only when the sap is in movement or 

 immediately before it commences to rise. In Portugal, however, the vines 

 are grafted long beforte this. GrafBng is commenced as early as January 

 (July in Australia) and 'Continues until early spring. February is looked 

 upon as the best month by most of those I have questioned on the subject. 

 Sometimes autumn grafting is practised ; the scion knits, but remains 

 dormant until the following spring when it makes an early Sjtart and 

 verv ^■igo^ous growth. Autumn grafting is not practised to nearly the 

 same extent as spring grafting. 



The kind of graft chiefly used is the ordinary cleft ; sometimes 

 also a shouldered cleft. A side cleft graft is occasionally used. The 

 different systems seem to all give good results. 



