Grafting the Vine. 



1 



[We are much obliged to our cor- 

 rcspondcjU fur this valuable paper, 

 and think the points he elucidates; de- 

 serves careful attention. But theories 

 do not always hold out in practice. 

 We will look at them a little closer. 



First, Had our correspondent said : 

 I hold it to be preferable, instead of 

 essential, etc., we should agree with 

 him. But we have grafted Isabella 

 and Catawba stocks with Norton's 

 Yirginia and Herbemont scions, fif- 

 teen 3-ears ago, and never saw, nor do 

 we expect to see, healthier vines, or 

 more productive ones than thej' are 

 to-da}', and have been over since. 

 Our long experience as a nursery man 

 has led us to come to the conclusion, 

 somewhat against our judgment, we 

 confess, that the scion also exercises 

 an influence over the stock, and grad- 

 ually changes its nature somewhat. 

 Every nursery man who propagates 

 Siberian Crab Apples, or Yellow Bell- 

 flower, will know that the crab ex- 

 ercises such an influence over the 

 roots, although they wore common 

 seedling apples, when grafted, that 

 they became much harder and more 

 brittle than those of other apples. 

 Jlay not the scion on the grape vine 

 change, in like manner, the nature of 

 the stock to a certain extent, and con- 

 form it to its requirements ? We 

 would, therefore, always prefer stocks 

 of the same species, but would not 

 hesitate, if wo had no other, to graft 

 upon a different specie, although suc- 

 cess may not be so certain. 



Point 2 we consider vcell taken, and 

 Avould advise to follow it strictly. 



Point 3, we do not think so import- 

 ant. The best and most healthy Del- 

 aware we know around Hermann, is 



grafted upon a Norton's Virginia, two 

 varieties, perhaps, as unlike in growth 

 as can possibly be found. We have 

 found, however, that all varieties be- 

 longing to the Lahrusca and Aestiva- 

 lis species, do noc take as readily 

 upon the Clinton, a cordifolia, al- 

 though when they take, they seem to 

 form a complete union, and grow very 

 vigorously. We have often improved 

 the habits of weak growers by graft- 

 ing upon strong growing varieties, 

 made them more health}^ in foliage 

 and fruit by so doing. Moreover, we 

 think the Creveling an Aestivalis, 

 while the North Carolina is a La- 

 brusca ; consequently a union between 

 these would be contraiy to the first 

 axiom friend Werth seeks to estab- 

 lish. 



Point 4, w^e think important, more 

 so, perhaps, than all the foregoing, 

 and the conclusions arrived at are 

 fully sustained by our experience. 

 We have had the greatest number of 

 failures invariably, if w^e grafted at 

 the time when the sap w^as flowing 

 strongly, and, we think, to insure suc- 

 cess, it should either be performed here 

 in February or March, or postponed 

 until after the expansion of the leaf. 

 The first would be decidedly prefera- 

 ble, as the scions can be kept in bet- 

 ter condition, and the graft can form 

 a more complete junction, make a 

 larger growth, and ripen its wood 

 better. If it is put off until after the 

 expansion of the leaf, the scions 

 should be kept dorman, if possible, in 

 a cool place. 



We have never had much success 

 with grafting and removing at same 

 time, but others have, and it is cer- 

 tainly a much easier method than 



