RESISTANT VINES; THEIR SELECTION, ADAPTATION, ETC. 31 



is well suited to the soil it is better than any other known resistant, 

 and should be preferred to either the Vitis Rupestris or any of the 

 hybrids, such as the Lenoir, Herbemont, Solonis, Doaniana, Clinton, 

 etc. The great problem is to determine the nature of the soil, and be 

 sure that there is fertility, depth, and moisture enough to suit the 

 Riparia. The physical conditions and the absence of much lime are 

 the only special points that should be considered in the suitability of a 

 soil for Riparia. 



Thus far the Riparia has been spoken of as a whole species, but the 

 point must be emphasized that there are varieties of Riparia that should 

 never be planted under any circumstances. All weak, thin-wooded Riparias 

 should be avoided, as the planting of feeble resistant stock means certain 

 loss of the capital used in planting them as well as the subsequent cul- 

 tivation of the soil till the fact becomes so apparent that the digging up 

 of the vineyard thus planted is necessitated. In this State there are, 

 undoubtedly, all of the varieties of the Riparia existing in the vineyards, 

 but none of them have been classified or named, and vineyardists propa- 

 gate indiscriminately from all these varieties that are mixed up together. 

 This is so true that there are quite few who really believe that there are 

 such divisions as varieties of Riparia. In order to illustrate the fact, 

 the following groupings of type forms are given not merely varieties, 

 but types, each type embracing many varieties: 



I. TOMENTOSE RlPAKIAS. 



(1) Large-leaved. Examples of varieties of this sub-group: Riparia Scribner, 



Riparia Giant, Violet Riparia, etc. 



(2) Small-leaved. (All of these should be rejected as worthless.) 



II. GLABROUS RIPARIAS. 



(1) Lobed leaves. Example: Riparia Palmata, etc. 



(2) Entire leaves. This group is subdivided into : 



(A) Small-leaved Riparias ; 



(B) Large-leaved Riparias, while "B " is further subdivided into : 



(a) Dull-colored leaves ; (a') Thin-leaved Riparias ; (a") Thick-leaved 

 Riparias. Example: Riparia Baron Perrier, Riparia with, 

 Bronze shoots, Violet-wooded Riparias, Riparia No. 6 and No. 12 

 of Meissner's Catalogue, etc. 



(6) Shiny, thick-leaved Riparias ; (6') Round-leaved Riparias (Exam- 

 ple : Riparia of Indian Territory); (6") Elongated-leaved 

 Riparias (Example : Riparia Gloire de Montpellier, Riparia 

 Scupernong, Riparia Grande Glabre, etc.). 



From these groups of types it will be seen what a problem the student 

 of American vines has before him. Fortunately for the people of Cali- 

 fornia the problem is almost completely solved. There is no necessity 

 to send to the native forests and get hundreds of thousands of cuttings, 

 and experiment with them for years, to find out the groupings and 

 characteristics of each group and sub-group. The vineyardist can 

 profit by the quarter of a century of vast labor and experiment expended 

 on the problem by those who have made a success of 2,500,000,000 of 

 resistants. All that is to be done is to send to France and ask for one 

 or more of the approved varieties that have certain definite and known 

 characteristics, and begin to experiment- then where the French left off. 

 One can then simplify his studies by having varieties before his eyes, 

 which are definitely named and their qualities known. In spite of this 

 opportunity to profit by the costly experiments of others, most of the 

 California vine-growers refuse to do so. They insist on sending to the 

 forests and getting what chance throws in their way. They may get a 

 good variety the first time, but the truth is, that they get a good one 



