﻿OF THE STATE ENTOMOLOGIST. Ill 



crown, plant them with their roots one foot below the surface, and trim off the surface 

 roots clean, only leaving the roots on the two lower joints. Then cultivate well for one 

 year, and graft as near the surface as practicable to insure the life of the cion. Should 

 the plants make roots above the junction,! would cut them smoothly close to the graft 

 every Spring, and thus establish the plant entirely upon Concord roots. 



This may seem very troublesome to our friends who plant vineyards entirely 

 upon the easy plan, and let them take care of themselves. But I think that their days 

 are numbered. This slovenly culture, or rather no culture at all, will never make us a 

 wine producing countrj^ worthy of the name ; and if we had not a single one of that 

 stamp left among us, I believe we would be infinitely better off than we are now. If 

 France can import millions over millions of our American varieties to regenerate her 

 devastated vineyards, we can certainly afford to use the means read}' at hand. Our 

 American wines have a glorious future, »nd we have the material for the grandest re- 

 sults already. Last August I sent two boxes of assorted wines, fifteen varieties, made 

 by Messrs. Poeschel & Scherer, at Hermann, to my French correspondent, Messrs. 

 Douysset Fils, at Montpellier. 1 quote from a letter just received, the following : "We 

 have duly received the wines of Mr. Husmann, and they were exhibited by us before 

 the International Congress of Viticulture, just held at Montpellier, and tested by a com- 

 mittee of thirty members, oflScially appointed for that purpose. They were about the 

 best connoisseurs of France. Norton's Virginia and Cynthiana, as red wines, Martha, 

 Goethe, and above all, Hermann and Rulander, as white wines, were highly praised ;. 

 and the general opinion is, that after we have restocked our vineyards with American 

 vines, we will not regret the loss of our own very much. As to Concord, Ives, Wilder, 

 North Carolina, Clinton, Herbemont and Cunningham, they will very likely be gen- 

 erally planted in our black soils, and much used for stocks for our Aramons." 



This was accompanied by an order for a million of Concord and all the Herbe- 

 mont cuttings I could yet secure, as well as smaller orders for other varieties. When 

 our products are thus appreciated in the greatest wine producing country we should 

 throw sloth and sluggishness aside and go to work in good earnest and with all avail- 

 able means. Let none follow or commence grape growing in the future who are not 

 willing to do their best. We want brains and skill, as well as muscle. We want close 

 observation, indefatigable exertion and intelligent labor in the vineyard as well as in 

 the wine cellar. It is my belief that the darkest days of American grape culture are 

 over, and that the future will not fail to bring us glorious results if we labor for it 

 faithfully. 



Your labors have done a great deal to post us in regard to our insect enemies and 

 friends, and should be gratefully appreciated by every grape grower, while all should' 

 do their part in sending you specimens and observing their habits. 



GEO. HUSMANN. 

 Sedalia, Mo., December 20, 1874. 



It will be noticed that the above experience and directions refer 

 solely to grafting underground. Both Fuller and Husmann deem 

 grafting above ground impracticable in our climate, principally on 

 account of our winds; and their advice has been so very generally 

 followed that little attention has been given to this mode of grafting 

 the grape vine. The consequence is that we have the most conflict- 

 ing experience as to the results of grafting; for, by the underground 

 methods, the graft will make its own roots in the course of a few 

 years, unless very great pains are taken to prevent such an occurrence ; 

 that it has done so in the majority of cases of grafting in this country 

 in the past, admits, I think, of little doubt. Yet, in grafting as a means 

 of counteracting the Phylloxera, the first requisite is to prevent 

 the graft from making any roots of its own; for it must be remem- 

 bered that we are dealing with a root malady purely, and that the 

 object is to grow those varieties whose roots succumb more or less to 

 the attacks of the insect, by using the roots of those which resist;. 



