THE RAISIN INDUSTRY. 121 



with the clay mixture, and soil should be heaped up over their tops. 

 To prevent the scions from drying out, their tops may also be covered 

 with grafting wax. 



Stocks and Their Influence. The old stock has a decided influence 

 on the scion and the new vine. Which stock is the best on which to 

 graft the Muscat has not yet been determined, but we may presume 

 that any strong and healthy growing variety will answer our purpose. 

 During the first year, and also during the second year, in many 

 instances the new vine assumes a character half way between that of an 

 old-stock variety and that of the variety of the scions. Thus I have seen 

 Muscats grafted on Sultanas and Zinfandels which were almost identi- 

 cal with these varieties. If I had not positively known that they were 

 the tops produced from Muscat scions, I would never have believed 

 them to be anything else than suckers from the old stocks. The 

 leaves, berries and branches of these Muscats were the first year exactly 

 like Sultanas. The berries of those grafted on black grapes were, 

 however, in this instance, not black but white, but I have heard of 

 other instances in which they were partially colored. Some vines, 

 again, showed characteristics of both varieties, the leaves generally 

 being similar to the old stock, while the grapes showed the character- 

 istics of the Muscats. This bastardity, however, wears off in a year or 

 two, and finally the vine assumes the full characteristics of the scion 

 variety. When this takes place it is evident that the sap of the scion 

 or the top of the vine has either changed the root, or through its quan- 

 tity overpowered the effects of the root-sap. 



Muscats grafted on Malagas, Feher Szagos, Sultanas and Zinfandels 

 all do well in time, and in many instances bear even better than Mus- 

 cats on their own roots. Our experience in grafting the Muscat is, 

 however, limited, and we do not know with any certainty which roots 

 are the most favorable or the most unfavorable on which to graft 

 the Muscat grape. I have seen grafted Muscats on wine stocks 

 which did not do well as regards bearing, while the growth 

 of the vines was rather vigorous. These varieties mentioned above 

 are, however, suitable stocks for Muscat grafts. I learn from Mr. 

 R. C. Kells of Yuba City that the late Dr. S. R. Chandler of 

 the same locality cleared the third year seventy-five dollars per 

 acre from Muscats grafted on Mission vines. This must be consid- 

 ered as very successful, especially as I have heard of other instances 

 where similar grafts did not bear sufficiently the third year to pay for 

 the labor of caring for the vineyard work that year. 



VARIOUS SUMMER WORK. 



Sulphuring. Sulphuring the vines is now considered a most neces- 

 sary operation, and without doing it well and in time no good crops can 

 be relied upon. It is true that good crops of grapes are sometimes had 

 without sulphuring, but this is only due to chance; the absence of 

 mildew, and immunity from disease of unsulphured vines are rare, 

 even in otherwise most perfectly kept vineyards. 



The sulphuring consists in thoroughly dusting the growing vines, 

 leaves, branches, flower buds and berries with powdered sulphur. 



