GRAPE VINES SOIL AND BORDERS. 249 



(0), and the descending current insures the speedy knitting of the two together. 

 When the graft has grown 6 feet or more, remove the part of the stock (m) with a 

 clean cut at the dotted bar, cutting off the end of the scion above the bottle as 

 marked, and a cane of 18 feet or more in length will be produced the same season, 

 whilst the vine carries its crop of grapes. This is an old and certain mode of 

 grafting vines and other ligneous plants. 



In Fig. 75, D (page 247), is represented side-grafting the vine on the main rod. The 

 mode is "whip," but cleft-grafting in the side, as shown in Fig. 23, Vol. I., J, a, is 

 eligible. The object in both is to give the scion a good grip of the sstock by the 

 tongue, so as to get new layers of wood extending well across the stock. In proceeding 

 by either of these methods it is essential to have growth in the stock to the extent 

 of the first laterals about six leaves, and the scions should be placed in moist soil 

 within the house for a few days prior to operating, so as to cause gentle excitement 

 of the sap without starting the buds materially. Select some suitable part on the 

 rod, the smoother and straighter the better, for receiving the scion, and cut the vine 

 down to the spur immediately above, leaving one or more growing shoots with some 

 leaves in a weakly vine about the number shown in Fig. 75, />,/>, and twice as many 

 in a strong vine. Then prepare the scion (q), and place it on the stock, as shown in r, 

 securing with the waxed bands already mentioned, or with tape J inch wide, covering 

 the whole except the bud ; also cover the tape with grafting- wax. In a fortnight the 

 scion will have u knit" with the stock and growth be issuing from the bud; then 

 check the growth in the stock shoots, and in six weeks the union will be complete ; the 

 bandage may then be removed, and the rod cut away above the junction at t. The 

 cane (s) may grow 20 to 40 feet in the season, and produce fruit the following year. 



Weakly-constitutioned varieties are improved by grafting on hardier stocks, say the 

 Black Muscat on the Black Hamburgh, and Frontignan on Foster's Seedling, whilst the 

 shy bearers, such as Gros Guillaume, are rendered more fruitful by grafting on free- 

 bearing varieties, such as the Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria. 



SOIL AND BORDERS. 



Soil. The vine flourishes in a gravelly calcareous soil, producing grapes rich in 

 flavour ; the wine has a full body, and possesses a rich bouquet. In alluvial soils the 

 vine is strong, the grapes large but coarse in flavour; the wine is harsh, yet full 

 bodied, and improves by keeping. Where the soil is not gravelly (silici-calcareous) 



VOL. II. K K 



