FARM, ORCHARD, DAIRY AND GARDEN. 



5*S 



same vineyard, dropped their leaves, and 

 did not ripen their fruit. It is certainly 

 of the utmost importance that experi- 

 ments of this kind should be made, and 

 I would advise all lovers of the Catawba 

 and Delaware to try it. 



But now the question arises, what 

 stock shall we choose? The Clinton, 

 though easy of growth, is a poor stock, as 

 it suckers inveterately, and, besides, has 

 not the affinity to most of our valuable 

 varieties which makes them take readily 

 on it. In fact, I do not consider any of 

 the Riparia or Cordifolia class as good 

 stocks, for Labrusca and its hybrids, or 

 ^Estivalis. But the Concord seems to 

 me eminently the stock to graft upon. 

 Easy of propagation, within the reach of 

 every one, with the adaptability to any 

 soil it possesses, and as nearly every 

 variety will unite readily with it, it seems 

 as if hardly a better one could be found. 

 But were I to plant it for this purpose, I 

 would take good, strong, plants, say at 

 least one foot long from the cutting to 

 the crown, plant them with their roots 

 one foot below the surface, and trim off 

 the surface roots clean, only leaving the 

 roots on the two lower joints. Then cul- 

 tivate well for one year, and graft as near 

 the surface as practicable to insure the 

 life of the cion. Should the plants make 

 roots above the junction, I would cut 

 them smoothly close to the graft every 

 spring, and thus establish the plant en- 

 tirely upon Concord roots. ~ 



This may seem very troublesome to 

 our friends who plant vineyards entirely 

 upon the easy plan, and let them take 

 care of themselves. But I think that 

 their days are numbered. This slovenly 

 culture, or rather no culture at all, will 

 never make us a wine producing country 

 worthy of the name ; and if we had not 

 a single one of that stamp left among us, 

 I believe we would be infinitely better off 

 than we are now. If France can import 

 millions over millions of our American 

 varieties to regenerate her devastated 

 vineyards, we can certainly afford to use 

 the means ready at hand. Our Ameri- 

 can wines have a glorious future, and we 

 have the material for the grandest results 



already. 



****** 



Let none follow or commence grape 

 growing in the future who are not willing 



to do their best. We want brains and 

 skill, as well as muscle. We want close 

 observation, indefatigable exertion and 

 intelligent labor in the vineyard as well 

 as in the wine cellar. It is my belief that 

 the darkest days of American grape cul- 

 ture are over, and the future will not fail 

 to bring us glorious results if we labor for 

 it faithfully. 



Your labors have done a great deal to 

 post us in regard to out insect enemies 

 and friends, and should be gratefully ap- 

 preciated by every grape grower, while 

 all should do their part in sending you 

 specimens and observing their habits. 

 Geo. Husmanw." 



It will be noticed that the above expe- 

 rience and directions refer solely to graft- 

 ing underground. Both Fuller and Hus- 

 mann deem grafting above ground im- 

 practicable in our climate, principally om 

 account of our winds; and their advice 

 has been so very generally followed that 

 little attention has been given to this 

 mode of grafting the grape vine. The 

 consequence is that we have the most 

 conflicting experience as to the results of 

 grafting, for by the underground methods 

 the graft will make its own roots in the 

 course of a few years, unless very great 

 pains are taken to prevent such an occur- 

 rence ; that it has done so in the majori- 

 ty of cases of grafting in this country in 

 the past, admits, we think, of little doubt. 

 Yet, in grafting as a means of counteract- 

 ing the Phylloxera, the first requisite is to 

 prevent the graft from making any roots 

 of its own; for it must be remembered 

 that we are dealing with a root malady 

 purely, and that the object is to grow 

 those varieties whose roots succumb more 

 or less to the attacks of the insect, by 

 using the roots of those which resist; 

 this object is necessarily frustrated in pro- 

 portion as the graft forms roots of its 

 own. 



There are two methods of grafting 

 above ground, which we have every reason 

 to believe may be made more successful 

 than grape growers have hitherto been 

 led to suppose. The first is by tempora- 

 rily making a false surface and grafting in 

 the ordinary manner just described, i. e. r 

 instead of digging away the earth and in- 

 serting the cion two or three inches below 

 ground, it should be inserted two or- 



