18 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 



comes very different from that on the other side of the ocean. Instead of 

 being the species that one should at once choose, as a general proposition, 

 it becomes the species that one should not choose until careful investiga- 

 tion has been made as to the depth, moisture, and richness of the soil. If 

 there is sufficient natural richness, moisture, and coolness in the soil to 

 keep the shallow-growing roots of the Riparia in good condition all the 

 year round, then it is undoubtedly the species to choose. If there is 

 any doubt about the moisture, coolness, and friability of the soil, then 

 the Rupestris becomes the species to choose in all cases, except where 

 there is an excess of moisture, lime, or compactness. The reason for this is 

 that the Rupestris is a species that grows naturally in dry soils, and sends 

 its roots downward more than the Riparia. It will thrive in a soil that 

 is so dry that any Riparia would inevitably perish. If one will take the 

 trouble to dig out, with care, a Riparia vine that grows side by side 

 with a Rupestris of the same age in a somewhat dry soil, he will at once 

 perceive the difference in the manner of root-growth in each case. 



Cause of Failures. While it is true that most of the replanted vine- 

 yards in California have been reconstituted with Riparia stock, it is 

 also true that there have been many failures; and doubtless many of 

 the failures thus far noted can be attributable to the selection of the 

 wrong species for the given soil. In many cases it has been found that 

 Riparias have thriven remarkably well on dry, steep hillsides, and this 

 has been advanced as an argument against the idea that Riparias require 

 moist soils. In some of the cases that have been called to the attention 

 of the Department it has been found, on investigation, that the so-called 

 Riparia stock was not Riparia at all, but Rupestris that had been sold 

 by the nurserymen as Riparia, either ignorantly or because the pur- 

 chaser wanted Riparias. While this explanation holds good in some 

 cases, there are others where it will not, and seemingly dry hillsides are 

 keeping Riparias in a remarkably thriving condition. In these cases it has 

 been found that, although the vineyard was on a hillside that seemed dry, 

 yet in reality there was an underdrainage near the surface that supplied 

 the Riparias with ample moisture, the soil being quite fertile. By inves- 

 tigating closely enough there will always be found explanations of the 

 seeming anomalies, that in no way shake the truth of the general rule. 

 Exceptions must be taken into consideration and looked out for with the 

 greatest care. 



Another cause of failure in soils that to all appearance are " Riparia 

 soils " is that the land was not in proper condition when the stocks were 

 planted. It has already been remarked that the resistant vines require 

 far greater care in planting than is usually given to the Vinifera. The 

 most important point is the proper preparation of the soil before plant- 

 ing. It has been established, beyond the possibility of rational doubt, 

 that before planting American vines 'the land should be given one 

 plowing that is twice as deep as would have been necessary had Vini- 

 feras been planted in the usual manner. This is one of the practical 

 lessons learned abroad. One of the vineyards that is used by the Pro- 

 fessors of the National School of Agriculture in France as the most 

 striking illustration of the necessity of deep plowing, is situated on the 

 banks of the river Herault, on the very best " Riparia soil " in France. 

 When first replanted in resistant stocks no deeper plowing than had 

 been given for the Viniferas was thought necessary. A very large vine- 



