612 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [15 Oct., 1919. 



to advise 5 cwt. nitrate of soda per acre. A third of this quantity will 

 usually be found sufficient. The vine has received a severe shock, and this 

 artificial stimulation Avill help the accumulation of normal reserves for the 

 following season. Such manuring is particularly recommended for irri- 

 gated vines.- Where natural rainfall has to be relied on the results to be 

 expected scarcely justify the expense unless in a wet spring. In most 

 years the October rainfall is not sufficient for the vines to benefit during 

 the season of application. 



A Couple of Examples. 



It will suffice to mention two actual cases where prompt treatment 

 on the lines described above gave excellent results. 



On the morning of 8th October, 1915, a severe frost destroyed the 

 entire crop of a vineyard situated at Sunbury; all shoots were scorched 



Pig. 6. — Mondeuse vine, Viticultural Station, Rutherglen. 

 Frost occurred on 3rd October, 1918. Immediate treatment 

 resulted in yield here shown. Photograph taken 27th 

 February, 1919. 



for rather more than half their length. Treatment as described in 

 Fig. 1 was recommended. The vines were not pruned, but radical 

 disbudding was applied, all shoots being completely suppressed. The 

 varieties grown were Ryra or Red Hermitage and Semillon; they were 

 trellised and pruned according to the double Guyot system (two rods 

 and two spurs). The result was most gratifying; the Syra yielded 

 nearly half a crop, whilst the Semillon did even better, yielding quite 

 two-thirds of a normal vintage. Figs. 4 and 5 are photographs of 

 these vines taken on 14th April, 1916. Being re-pnined so late, anid 

 especially in a cool district, such as Sunbury, some doubt was felt con- 

 cerning the proper ripening of the grapes. Fortunate]}'', the autumn 

 was a fine one, permitting the postponement of vintage until after the 



