CEPAGES. 87 



that the V. Rupestris has had any relations with the V. 

 Monticola and this name can only lead to regrettable con- 

 fusion. The distinctive characters of Rupestris du Lot, 

 according to Mazade, are as follows: "Stem very strong, 

 of forcible vigour; habit erect (the principal ramifications 

 only trailing on the ground); canes knotty, much ramified; 

 inter-nodes short; leaves (Fig. 34) very slightly folded along 

 the mid-rib, undulating margins, brilliant, with metallic 

 sheen, relatively thin; petiolar sinus bracket-shaped (Fig. 35); 

 indentation irregular, well defined, relatively acute, that 

 forming the terminal lobe long and pointed. Leaves of 

 terminal ramifications occasionally extremely small; apex 

 of the shoots bronzed. Under the influence of excessive 

 drought the leaves become folded along the mid-rib and the 

 metallic sheen disappears; roots a little less slender than 

 those of most other Rupestris." 



The resistance to phylloxera of the Rupestris du Lot has 

 sometimes been doubted; its roots show, in certain circum- 

 stances, numerous nodosities, and occasionally tuberosities, 

 but these lesions are excoriated at a favorable time, and 

 never penetrate to the heart of the root; they have no, or 

 only comparatively insignificant action on the really remark- 

 able vigour of this grafting-stock when in suitable soil. 

 Phylloxera galls have never been found on the leaves of the 

 Rupestris du Lot; when perforated by the phylloxera the 

 wound is shown by a deviation of the ribs, but the perforated 

 tissues do not become galls. 



The extraordinary vigour of the Rupestris du Lot in the 

 generality of soils, its positive resistance to chlorosis in cal- 

 careous soils, its good growth in poor soils, and even in 

 compact, siliceous, or clay soils, where it grows powerfully by 

 reason of its strong roots, have caused it to be acknowledged 

 a grafting-stock of the first order. It communicates to the 

 grafts which it carries a powerful growth, increasing with 

 the fertility of the soil. In extremely rich soils, if its excess 

 of vigour is not checked by appropriate pruning, non-setting 

 of the berries may result, but this inconvenience is of little 

 importance, as it may be easily remedied This relative fault 

 does not occur in poor soils, which are also those for which 

 the Rupestris du Lot should be preferred. 



The ungrafted Rupestris du Lot is always unfertile. A 

 form very similar to the Rupestris du Lot in its exterior 

 characters, which has been called Rupestris du Lot femelle 



