616 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Oct., 1917. 



It is not, however, necessary to wait a whole year in order to re- 

 graft. Several courses are open. Herbaceous grafts* of various types 

 may be practised in December, the canes may be Yema bud-grafted from 

 January to March, or they may be grfifted (either cleft or whiiJ-tongue) 

 in the following spring. Re-grafting in this way on a couple of strong 

 canes is much more satisfactory than re-grafting, lower down, on the 

 main stem. 



An ingenious method of dealing with what at first sight seems a 

 quite impossible stock, came under the writer's notice recently. Owing 

 to unsuccessful grafting and re-grafting, the stock consisted of a twisted 

 knot of suckers and roots, quite hopeless to even a skilled grafter. The 

 resourceful vigneron opened up the stocks so as to bare the main roots. 

 In each case one of the stoutest or most favorably situated of these was 

 straightened up to surface level, and grafted in the usual way. The 

 main stem was entirely removed, and the remaining roots likewise, as 

 far as they could conveniently be run. The grafted root was, needless 

 to say, kept in the line of the wire; true, it was slightly out of its exact 

 position in the row, but in trellised vines this is of little consequence. 

 Knitting and subisequent growth were altogether satisfactory, and this 

 method of dealing with a difficult case certainly merits recording. 



From the above it will be seen that field grafting of the vine is not 

 a difficult or complicated matter as intending vine-growers in several 

 new districts seem to imagine. In certain areas which have the good 

 fortune to be so far free from phylloxera (and may they long continue 

 so), illogical though it will appear to any thinking person, vineyards 

 are still being jjlanted with vinifera root (not grafted on resistant 

 stock), and this notwithstanding the fact that "clean" resistants are 

 available. Being unfamiliar with it, growers are so afraid of the ojiera- 

 tion of grafting tliat they prefer the sword of Damocles in the shape 

 of the appearance of phylloxera, which must ultimately, but inevitably, 

 invade all districts of Australia. 



And yet in the Jlutherglen district, Tvhere the presence of phylloxera 

 has made the resistant stock an absolute necessity, field grafting has now 

 no terrors, especially for the careful small grower, who takes pride in 

 his work, and does it himself. Many such prefer reconstitution by 

 means of field grafting to the planting of grafted rootlings, though the 

 latter method is generally preferred by larger growers, who must depend 

 on hired labour. 



The field grafter can " Yema " graft in February following planta- 

 tion; any failures (and there are usually few) can be spring grafted 

 the following Septemiber to ISTovember; and should any of these fail, if 

 the stocks were properly disbudded so as to insure a couple of stout canes, 

 these can he re-grafted by the various methods described above. With 

 so many strings to his bow the field grafter has practically the same 

 chance of getting near the 100 per cent, ideal as the planter of grafted 

 rootlings; true, a certain amount of extra care and attention will be 

 necessary, but not really so much as is usually feared by those as yet 

 unfamiliar with reconstitution. 



• See " New Methods of Grafting .xnd Budding as applied to Reconstitution witli American Vines," 

 compiled and translated by Raymond Dubois and W. Percy Williinson, obtainable from this Department, 

 price 7d., post free. 



