22 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 



suffering slightly from the attacks of the phylloxera, is less feeble than 

 the Rupestris, and its growth can be fairly indicated by 4 out of a possi- 

 ble 20. The Cornucopia, on the contrary, though badly attacked by the 

 phylloxera, is comparatively vigorous, its exterior growth being equal to 

 about 15 out of a possible 20. This same anomaly is noted in the case 

 of other vines, such as the Othello, Autuchon, Canada, etc., which, even 

 though badly attacked by the phylloxera, sometimes do better than the 

 Rupestris, Riparia, etc., of higher absolute resistance on certain soils. 



CHARACTER OF LAND FOR RESISTANT VINES. 



The question then presents itself to the vine-grower: Given a certain 

 soil and climate, what resistant stock should be chosen? For it is, at 

 this state of knowledge of the phylloxera, sheer folly to attempt to plant 

 out a vineyard of non-resistant roots in place of one that has already 

 been destroyed by the insect. It is very true that to-day there are many 

 vine-growers, who, while expecting sooner or later to lose their vine- 

 yards, labor under the delusion that they can get several crops before 

 the phylloxera destroys their second planting. This has been tried the 

 world over, and also in this State, and in every case has proved a bad 

 failure. If any one is going to plant a vine, let him plant one that will 

 not have to be replaced in the course of three or four years. He will 

 have other enemies enough to contend with without laying himself open 

 to one of the most terrible of insect pests known. 



In silicious clay soils that contain but a moderate amount of lime, all 

 of the American vines will thrive more or less well. They present in their 

 development, fructification, etc., certain differences which it behooves 

 one to keep in mind. Not that in such soils they would prove a com- 

 plete failure; but as the cost of planting a vineyard is great, it is very 

 necessary to take into consideration all the requirements and adapta- 

 tions of each one, in order to obtain the best possible results instead of 

 merely fair ones. In other words, the question is whether we shall do 

 the best that nature permits, or be content with a great deal less than 

 another man gets with the same effort. 



Excessively Calcareous Soils. In soils in which the lime is largely in 

 excess, things are different. Here nearly all the American vines, and 

 even some varieties of the Vitis Vinifera, behave badly. Observation 

 and experience have established the fact that for every soil there exists 

 an American vine that will produce better results than any other, and 

 it should be the endeavor to find it in order to get the best results from 

 the soil, for it is just as expensive to plant a poor vine as a perfect one. 

 Whatever be the conditions in wine-making to-day, the time will surely 

 come when the industry will be profitable only to those who get the 

 maximum returns from their vines, and it is beyond all dispute that 

 those who have planted inferior stocks cannot attain this end. They 

 will, when competition with properly planted vineyards begins, be driven 

 out of business, so that the sooner this state of affairs is duly appre- 

 ciated, the sooner wine-making in California will be established on a 

 sound basis. 



As has been shown, it is established beyond possibility of rational 

 doubt, that the soil is one of the principal factors in the problem of 

 reconstituting vineyards destroyed by the phylloxera. 



