GRAFTING GRAPE VINES 301 



Another common method of grafting beneath the ground is to 

 split the stump across its center, as is done in top-grafting fruit 

 trees as shown in Chapter IX, and one or two scions inserted. If 

 two are used and both grow, the weaker one is afterward suppressed. 

 In this cross cleft graft some grafters rely upon the stock to hold 

 the scion without tying, and daub it over with the clay mixture, 

 care being taken to fill and cover the split in the stock to exclude 

 water. Others put a ligature around the split stump. Strips of 

 cotton cloth answer well for this purpose. Tying offers better 

 security from knocking out the graft with the cultivator. 



In grafting into very tough old stumps, some growers place a 

 slim wedge of wood in the cleft with the scion to prevent the stock 

 from closing too forcibly upon the scion. 



Side Grafting. Side grafting the vine is commended by some 

 growers. It consists in inserting a graft by a cut into the side of 

 the stock, the method being essentially the same as that employed 

 with fruit trees, as described in Chapter IX, excepting that in side 

 grafting the vine, the top is not amputated, but is allowed to bear 

 its crop and is then removed the following winter. The next sum- 

 mer the scion will bear a crop, and the vine is worked over without 

 cessation in its bearing. 



Herbaceous Grafting. This term is applied to a graft in which 

 the scion of the current season's growth is set by a cleft graft into 

 canes also of the current season's growth, while both scion and 

 cane are elastic, but not too soft. The method has not been usually 

 successful in this State, apparently because of the dryness of the 

 summer air. Still some satisfactory results are reported. Mr. 

 Casalegna of Santa Clara County, whose success with herbaceous 

 buds has been noted, does well also with soft-wood grafting by the 

 whip-graft method. He says it is most successful in June, provided 

 the scions are hard enough. The pith must be white. In a strong- 

 growing vineyard grafting may be done in July. The leaves are 

 taken of the scions when they are cut. If they are to be used im- 

 mediately they are placed in water; if to be carried some distance 

 they are placed in a wet sack. Tie the grafts with knitting yarn, 

 not with raffia. The season for herbaceous grafting will, of course, 

 vary according to the locality. Hot weather immediately following 

 the work is fatal to most of the grafts. If two or three cool days 

 follow the insertion of the scions he obtains an almost perfect stand. 



Care of Scions. Scions should be kept cool and moist enough 

 to prevent drying, but not wet enough to cause decay, as has already 

 been described in the keeping of cuttings. 



Time of Grafting. Grafting into old vine stumps is done in 

 February, March and April in different parts of the State, March 

 being the month usually chosen for the work. If a spring graft 

 fails, the stump may be regrafted in August or in the following 

 spring. In regrafting, the stump is cut off again below the previous 

 cleft. The time for the work is when the sap has ceased flowing, 

 usually from the first to the tenth of August. 



