610 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTIOK G^I. 



The Ripaiia, as its name indicates, is adapted for river bank and 

 deep licli alluvial soils. In Victoria it has been discarded in all but 

 a few special localities. Where it is planted in suitable conditions, it 

 thrives well, and is a good graft-bearer. But for most of our viti- 

 cultural areas it has been supplanted by other stocks less influenced 

 by drought, to which, owing to its somewhat superficial root system, 

 it is susceptible. Of the two varieties introduced into Victoria, 

 Riparia gloire (de Montpellier) is very much superior to R. grand 

 ylabre, which is now regarded as unsatisfactory, and is in conse- 

 quence very unpopular. 



Of the Rupestris strain, several that came to the State with 

 splendid reputations have now been abandoned as unreliable. These 

 are Rupestris Martin, R. Ganzin, R. Forttvortli, R. metallica, of 

 Fi-ance, and several others. A variety of the latter, grown from 

 seed and carefully selected at the Cape, is l>ighly esteemed as a 

 vigorous grower, and an excellent graft-bearer. Not only is the 

 bulk of reconstitution in South Africa can-ied out on this stock,, 

 but it has proved itself so far reliable and productive as a stock in 

 the rather extensive experiments earned out in Victoria. 



Rupestris du Lot, known also (in California particularly) as R. 

 6'i. George, is a stock of considerable merit, and has proved in 

 Victorian reconstitution to be one of the veiy best. It strikes easily, 

 grafts readily, and is much more durable than many others that 

 originally gave greater promise. 



Most of the American resistant stocks are intolerant of lime, 

 and as so much of the viticultural area of France was on limestone 

 formation, or on soils containing a fair percentage of lime, the diflS- 

 culty was rather serious. To find a stock that would be resistant 

 and yet tolerant of lime was desired and long seaz"ched for. It has 

 been found that the Berlandieri possesses these desirable qualities. 

 The chief drawback is the diflSculty experienced in getting it to 

 strike roots in the ordinaiy way, and also the comparatively slow 

 growth of the stock during its earlier seasons. As noted, the 

 Berlandieri shoots strike roots indifferently. The difficulty has been 

 overcome by utilising a Berlandieri x Vinifera hybrid, which retains 

 the tolerance to lime and resistance to Phylloxera of the one parent, 

 and the I'ooting powers and gi-afting affinity of the other. Owing 

 to the fact that but few of the Victorian vine-growing districts are 

 calcareous, the difficulty was not so great here as in the old world. 

 In our experience, heavy clays and prolonged droughts cause more 

 anxiety in reconstitution than the presence of excess of lime. 



Reference has been made to the hybrids. The impoi"tant work 

 of breeding suitable stocks has long taken up the careful attention 

 01 a number of eminent practical and scientific men. Among othei*s, 

 special mention should be. made of Couderc, Millardet, de Grasset, 

 and Ravaz. A vast number of hybrids were produced, and immedi- 

 ately rejected as woi^thless. They nuist have a vigorous habit, suit- 

 able adaptability to soil and climate, prove to be sufficiently resis- 

 tant to Phylloxera, and possess superior grafting affinity, or they 

 are useless as stocks. 



Among the America x Americaiv hybrids are some of the most 

 meritorious stocks known, such as Hybrids Nos. 3306 and 3309 



