26 FRUI'lS AND VEGETABLES UNDER GLASS 



week or ten days later. If the pots are brought in at the time when the house 

 is started they are very habie to begin to grow before the vines which are planted 

 in the border. This is due to the fact that the one batch has its roots down in 

 the cool earth, whereas the plants in the pots are in a congenial, warm atmosphere. 

 When the young growth is about a foot long, or, at least, while the wood is 

 still soft, select one of the side shoots, as near the bottom of the old cane as pos- 

 sible, bring the green shoot of the cion down to the growing shoot of the stock; 

 befoie uniting them make a slight cut on each shoot a trifle deeper than the bark, 

 where the two shoots will be joined and tie the two together, as in grafting. 

 Trv to have both shoots of about the same size. As soon as the cion has united 

 with the stock, begin to cut it away from its own roots, and keep the stock pinched 

 back by degrees so as to give strength and vigor to the cion. When the latter 

 has been fully started it usually grows very fast. 



PROPAGATION B^' GRAETING 



Vines also may be grafted, but this is a rather difficult operation on account 

 of their nature. If grafted when the vine is dormant no union will take place. 

 The most favorable time for this operation is after the first flow of sap has passed, 

 or about the time when the vines are in bloom. However, I need not go into 

 the details of this subject, as vines are not grafted to any extent now. 



PROPAGATION B\- SEED— CROSS-FERTILIZATION 



Propagation by seed is worthy of notice, although thic method is seldom 

 resorted to since the vine is easily increased otherwise by propagation. While 

 we have some excellent material for the early and Midsummer varieties, our 

 late-keeping varieties leave, unfortunately, much to be desired; they lack that 

 rich Muscat flavor demanded of a first-class Grape. What an achievement it 

 would be could we but infuse some of theMuscat blood into our vinous and Sweet- 

 water varieties, and still preserve the keeping qualities of a Gros Colman or a 

 Barbarossa! But it seems, unfortunately, that when a seedling with a distinct 

 Muscat flavor is raised there always accompanies it a thin skin and poor keeping 

 qualities for late ure. As an instance of this character, note Madresfield Court, 

 one of the finest of all the black Muscats. This noble variety was obtained 

 by crossing Muscat of Alexandria with Black Morocco; it derived itr color from 

 the vinous variety Morocco and its rich flavor from the Muscat. 



The sole purpose of raising vines from seed is to obtain new or impro\ed 

 varieties. But if seed is taken at haphazard the chances for any real progress 

 arc slight. The variety would probably only reproduce itself or, more than 

 likely, would degenerate. The object to be attained is through cross-fertiliza- 

 tion and close attention is required to handle this operation successfully. When 

 the cap is thrown ofT and the anthers are exposed to the light and air, then, if 

 Nature is allowed to do her work, self-fertilization will be accomplished in a 

 short time. To cross fertilize one variety with another, means must be taken 

 in advance of the natural development so that self-fertilization cannot be efTccted. 

 To o\ercome this, select, a day or so previous to the opening of the first flowers. 



