198 OPEN AIR GRAPE CULTURE. 



Neither can we enter upon a discussion of the 

 claims of the rival theory of Yan Mons. "We shall 

 therefore rest content with a few practical directions. 



Speechly, who was probably the first to attempt 

 the improvement of vines by cross-breeding, directs 

 us to bring the flowering branches of the two kinds 

 of vines into close proximity they being, of course, 

 in the same stage of maturity. 



'No very superior varieties followed his attempts, 

 however ; and this is not to be wondered at, as it is 

 probable that branches might be entwined a thou- 

 sand times without effecting the result aimed at; 

 for no means are taken to bring the pollen of the dif- 

 ferent flowers into contact with the stigma of the 

 others, and although we have no reasons to doubt the 

 possibility of super-fcetation, (seeing it is well-known 

 to occur in the higher animals) yet no means are 

 here taken to produce even this. 



J. Fiske Allen, one of our most successful grape 

 growers and the originator of some new and excel- 

 lent varieties, gives the following directions upon this 

 point. 



" The applying the pollen, or farina of one variety 

 to the pistil, or stigma of another, is the surer method 

 of proceeding to obtain new sorts in the shortest 

 time ; and this is called hybridizing. 



To do this properly, the bunch should be thinned 



