IN CALIFORNIA. 113 



still ten days later than these. Strange to relate, the last 

 started first, the second lot next, and the first last of all. 

 At the present date., June 28, many of the grafts have made a 

 growth of seven feet, and show from three to nine bunches of 

 fruit. These are Marsanne, grafted on four-year-old Char- 

 bono, Yinifera on Yinifera. This may serve as an illustra- 

 tion, About 90 per cent, of the second and third lot are 

 growing; of the first, about 75 per cent., and only now 

 starting into vigorous growth. All the scions were kept dor- 

 mant, by being buried in a shady place. 



Next, as to the proper choice of the scions. This I consider 

 very important. The scion should be of medium sized, short 

 jointed, firm wood, with well developed buds, and, of course, 

 well ripened. The large canes are inconvenient, and gener- 

 ally too loose and pithy in their texture to make good scions, 

 while the small wood has generally only a single bud, which 

 is easily rubbed off and therefore liable to fail. About the 

 size of a common lead pencil will be best, though somewhat 

 larger scions may be used on heavy vines, and smaller ones 

 on correspondingly small vines. Here the good sense of the 

 .grafter is the best guide, and a little practice will soon make 

 perfect. 



As to the b'est methods, they will all succeed; if they fulfill 

 one great requisite, perfect union of the inner bark in stock 

 .and scion. As this is thicker on large stocks than on small 

 ones, and comparatively thicker on stock than scion, it be- 

 comes self evident that the scion should be set deeper below 

 the rough outer bark of the large stock, than the comparatively 

 thin bark of a small one. With these few general hints, I will 

 .now describe a few of the simplest, an.d most common as 

 well, as most successful methods. 



