52 Journal iif Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Jan.. 1917 



Scion Requirements. 



As has been shown, the scion sliould be taken from a 

 cane of rather smaller diameter than the stock on which it is to 

 be grafted. The question arises whether lateral shoots are eligible as 

 scions, or whether main canes only should be used. Seeing 

 that laterals are ready quite as capable of iproducing fruit as 

 main canea,* there should be no objection to their use, provided they are 

 well constituted and not too pithy. Needless to say, the same rigorous 

 care is necessary in the selection of the scion buds as in the case of scions 

 for ordinary spring grafting. They should in the first place be only 

 taken from vines picked on account of the quality and quantity of the 

 fruit they yieldf. In the second place, cnly fruit-producing canes must 

 be used ; water shoots and suckers should on no account be employed. 

 Of course, laterals must only be those growing on fruit-bearing canes; 

 any others are useless. 



Buds should only be taken from canes which are propei'ly ripened, 

 the green or yellow colouration having changed to brown ; unripe buds 

 are, it is true, capable of uniting, but they are not nearly so sure; with 

 them one cannot rely upon a high percentage of success. Buds should 

 be free fiom laterals; in practice it is often found that a bud which 

 has failed, or has taken in an unsatisfactory manner, shows the frag- 

 ment of a small lateral alongside of it, which was cut back at the time 

 of grafting. Where the Yema graft is to be practised on a large scale, 

 it would be well to prepare the canes to be used as scions by breaking 

 out the laterals in November-December, when they are still quite small 

 and easily suppressed. Well-developed laterals are less liable to have 

 secondary laterals in the axil of the leaf, for which reason they are very 

 convenient to use. If the main canes of the vines used as scion bearers 

 are stopped early in November, stout laterals will be thrown out, which 

 will be well ripened by February. 



Needless to say every precaution must be taken to avoid drying out 

 of the scion canes. The season best suited for this graft being the 

 hottest time of the year, only a few hours' requirements should be cut 

 at a time, and these should be rolled in a piece of wet bag : they should 

 not, however, be cut into short lengths and kept floating in a bucket 

 of water as is sometimes done. 



The graft is, in fact, more practical if scions are obtainable in the 

 same vineyard where they are to be grafted than if they have to be 

 brought a distance; in the latter case they must be packed in such a 

 way as to guard against desiccation in transit, and before use the canes 

 should be placed for a day with their butt ends in clean water. 



* As roff.ardR fruitfnlnoss of lateral canes, see article on " Pruning tlie Ohanez and some other 

 Vines" (Jniunal. lOth -lugust, 1915. page 468.) 



+ One great advantage of this graft is that scion selection need only be made at the .actual time of 

 grafting ; the frnit being then on the vine and approaeliing maturity, it is easy to see whicli .are the 

 most prolific vines. Tn the case of Sprina grafting, the scion bearing vine must be marked six months 

 lieforehand — work which is too often overlooked. 



(To he cnvtim/ed.) 



