BULLETIN 197 



GRAPE CULTURE IN CALIFORNIA. 



157 



Muscat. In accordance with the advice of Viala and Pacottet, the 

 pollen of Aramon X Rupestris has been used with success in the hot- 

 houses of Paris for the artificial fecundation of Muscat flowers. This 

 is a resistant stock which produces an abundance of blossoms which 

 are completely staminate, and therefore incapable of producing fruit 

 themselves. Their pollen, however, is extremely vigorous, and causes 

 the fruit of other varieties to set well. The pollen of this variety is 

 collected, dried, and, at the proper time, dusted on to the Muscat 

 blossoms. As this variety blossoms about two weeks earlier than the 



FIG. 21. Six-year-old Muscat of usual form. 



Muscat, however, it could not be used for cross-pollination unless 

 the pollen were collected and applied as described, which is of course 

 impracticable in a vineyard. 



Most of the varieties cultivated in the raisin districts blossom about 

 the same time as the Muscat, and such varieties as Palomino, Perruno, 

 Beba, and Burger, which always set their fruit well, would be suitable 

 for the purpose. 



Another peculiarity of the Muscat of Alexandria, noted by Viala 

 and Pacottet, is that the stigma of the pistil is covered with a drop 

 of liquid which forms and falls two or three times a day, thus removing 

 pollen grains which may have reached the stigma. A moist atmosphere 

 is, therefore, unfavorable to the setting of Muscat. 



