564 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Sept., 1917. 



prove of service in excluding excessive moisture, the greatest obstacle 

 to success in grafting. Nevertlieless, practical grafters have now very 

 generally discarded all such forms of protection. 



Staking when grafting is to be recommended ; the vigorous shoots sent 

 out by the scion oppose a large surface to the wind, which may even 

 detach the whole scion, as the new tissues of the graft remain soft and 

 tender for a considerable time. A temporally stake, .30 inches long, 

 IS all that is required, though vines intended to be trained on stakes 

 can, with advantage, be now permanently staked. Staking not only 

 obviates damage from wind, but insures erect canes, one of which will 

 be utilized to form the main stem of the vine. Tying up, if only to 

 a short temporary stake 18 inches or so above the ground, will obviate 

 unsightly crooked stems which are always an eyesore in a vineyard. 



Pig. 6.— Method of mounding in stiff soil. A temporary tube is placed 

 round graft and stake, and filled with sand, the ordinary soil of the vineyard 

 is mounded up around the tube, which is then withdrawn. The tie which binds 

 the graft has not been figured. 



Mounding. 



The mound which completes the operation of grafting needs but little 

 desicriptiou if the soil of the vineyard be loose or sandy; it should com- 

 pletely cover the top of the scion and be made so that the batter is some- 

 thing like one in two. Care should be taken that the scion is not 

 displaced or disturbed in any way. 



On stiff land it is difficult to make a suitable mound. Even if well 

 pulverized the soil soon becomes conpacted by rain, being rendered liable 

 to crack and allow too much air to get to the graft. The crust which 

 often forms also opposes an obstacle to the free growth of the young 

 scion shoots which, being unable to break through, become twisted and 

 contorted in a most undesirable way. 



