AND WINE MAKING. 17 



making it produce more and finer fruit than on its own 



roots. Last, but not least, grafting affords us the only 

 means by which to combat successfully the phylloxera. 

 So far no discovery has been made entitling anyone to the 

 large prize offered by the French government for a rem- 

 edy or preventive of the ravages of that insect, yet the 

 greater part of the destroyed vineyards have been reha- 

 bilitated by replanting with American vines ; and while 

 it seems that they are even more particular as to soil 

 than the varieties of the Vinifera, no doubts are enter- 

 tained of their power as resistants when the proper soil 

 has been found. 



II. The best time to perform the operation. I differ 

 with most of the writers on this subject. I have met 

 with the greatest success when the sap was flowing freely, 

 which will, of course, vary according to location. Here 

 our best time is about the middle of April, though I 

 have grafted with as good success up to the middle of 

 May, provided the cions were kept dormant in a cool, 

 shady place and were selected with the proper care. 

 When the sap is flowing freely the junction is immedi- 

 ate, and the sap at once ascends the graft. At this time 

 all bandages are superfluous, and even injurious, pro- 

 vided the stock is strong enough to hold the cion firmly. 

 No matter if the stock has already made shoots a foot in 

 length, there will be no perceptible difference, though it 

 is safe to commence when the buds are swelling and the 

 sap is in rapid circulation. As this involves also the 

 question of the age of the vine, let me here say that the 

 best success I have had was with vines from an inch to 

 an inch and a half in diameter, strong enough to hold 

 the cion firmly, and that absolutely nothing is gained by 

 grafting when the vines are smaller. "Wait until the 

 vine is strong enough, then give its energies full play by 

 inserting good strong cions, with buds sufficient to take 

 up the flow of sap ; few failures will occur, and you can 



