10 June, 1916.] Viticultvral Nursery, Wahgunyah. 



M\ 



very popular in Algeria ; especially in vineyards where it is well treated 

 it yields very heavily and is held to be one of the stocks which responds 

 best to heavy manuring. 



Are we to abandon any of the stocks we now propagate ? He did not 

 think so. We. have already given up tlie Riparias and Rupestris Martin, 

 and they were not to be regretted. Doubts had been raised as regards 

 Cape Metallica, yet in many vineyards it was quite satisfactory and 

 yielded excellent crops. There certainly are some scions which do badly 

 on it. In Mildura it is highly thought of. A.R.G. 1. though disap- 

 pointing in some parts of Sicily, is one of our best stocks here; it is also 

 excellent for irrigated land, as it suffers less than most from faulty 

 drainage. 



No doubt the general success of so many stocks here was due to the 

 wonderful suitability for the vine of n!ost of our vineyard soils, and 



Vine grafting shed, State Nursery, Wahgunyah. 



particularly the friable nature of the subsoil once it has been properly 

 broken up to a sufficient depth. Thorough cultivation could not be too 

 stiongly urged. Drought resistance depends j)erliaps almost as much on 

 proper soil treatment as on the choice of stock. 



Several other stocks of much promise were dealt wiili, sucli as l()ti.8, 

 the Riparia x Cordifolia Ruj)estris hybrid, so liighly thought of in 

 France for stiff, silty soils; also 84.3, 554.5, 62.()(), 125'l. ic. Some of 

 these had special j>oints to recommend them. It was curious. Iiowever, 

 that they were not more sj)oken of in recent viticultural literature. 



A recent article by Professor Ravaz was qtioted, dealing with stocks 

 for dry situation, in which the contradictory nature of the question 

 was pointed out. He holds the ])ure Rupestris to be poor drought 

 resisters ; they often suffer more than Riparia even, probably on account 

 of the greater loaf surface, which evaporates more moisture. 



