GRAFTING. 



IST. AGE AT WHICH STOCK CAN BEAR GRAFTS. 



It is possible to graft a vine at any age, from the time 

 when it is a simple cutting till it is exhausted by many 

 years pruning and production ; in the latter case it imparts 

 new youth and new fertility by replacing old foundation 

 wood with healthy young wood. But during this long period 

 all ages are not equally favorable to the success of the 

 operation ; the grafting of cuttings, for instance, gives a 

 lower percentage of strikes than the grafting of rooted vines, 

 which is easily explained when we remember that a cutting 

 has not only to knit with the scion, but also to root. Not- 

 withstanding this, the grafting of cuttings tends to be 

 generalized, as it enables growers to obtain results quickly, 

 and gives a sufficient strike in certain climates if proper care 

 be taken. 



As far as rootlings are concerned, it may be stated that 

 the younger the plant the greater the proportion of knit- 

 tings. This is explained by the freshness of the tissues in 

 contact, which is favorable to the prompt formation of 

 abundant cells necessary for the knitting to take place, and 

 probably also by the system of grafting used in these cases, 

 cleft graft or whip tongue graft, it may be considered as 

 the best.^The importance of grafting young stocks is more 

 apparent with graft-bearers belonging to certain species, 

 such as wild Riparias, with which the percentage of 

 knittings diminishes as the plant grows older^k However, 

 the herbaceous grafts, which theoretically realize the best 

 conditions, have the disadvantage of being more difficult to 

 perform, but of giving rise to more vigorous vines. As,. 

 therefore, they have been so far very little used in France 

 we will study more especially the grafting of lignified canes, 



2ND. SELECTION OF SCIONS. 



(a) Selection of Canes. As grafting preserves the charac- 

 teristics of the mother plant, and in a certain measnre 

 those of the cane itself, it is important to select canes 

 amongst the most fertile and healthier shoots, showing 

 well defined characteristics of the variety to be propagated. 

 Those having borne non- setting flowers and badly-coloured 

 grapes should be discarded. Further, they should be well 

 lignified, bearing all their buds, of medium development, 

 and containing as little pith as possible. These latter 



