BENCH-GRAFTING RESISTANT VINES. 227 



in straw was as follows : A large box without cover was 

 laid on its side, a layer of about 2 inches of chopped 

 straw was placed on the lower side, and then a single layer 

 of grafts. This was repeated until the box was full. The 

 grafts were so placed that the scion was nearest the bottom 

 of the box, which was then turned upright, and still more 

 straw pushed in between the layers of grafts until they were 

 tightly packed. The box was then placed in the sand pile, 

 2 inches of straw placed on top, and the whole covered with 

 sand, 1 inch of sand being placed over the top layer of straw. 

 The straw was moistened before being used for layering the 

 grafts. 



All the grafts were left from six to eight weeks to 

 callus, and then planted out in the nursery during the first 

 week in May. 



PLANTING GRAFTS IN THE NURSERY. 



Planting immediately after Grafting. There is no doubt 

 about the disadvantage of planting freshly grafted vine 

 cuttings out in the open nursery, as we have there no 

 practical means of sufficiently controlling temperature and 

 moisture. But, in order to have definite data in regard 

 to this method in comparison with a preliminary callusing 

 with more or less perfect control of temperature and 

 moisture, the following experiment was tried: 360 grafted 

 cuttings were planted out in the nursery directly after they 

 were grafted. The soil of the nursery was in good condition. 

 In planting, a trench was dug about 18 inches deep and 15 

 inches wide. The bottom of the trench was then filled in 

 for a few inches, with well-pulverized top soil, in order to 

 facilitate the penetration of the roots. The grafts were 

 placed 4 inches apart nearly vertically, in two rows (one on 

 each side of the trench), sand being previously placed on 

 each side in order that the bases of the stock should be in 

 favorable condition for root formation and growth. The 

 trench was then completely filled by putting in soil and sand 

 alternately in such a manner as to surround the grafts com- 

 pletely with sand. The point of union of scion and stock 

 was placed at a level with the surface of the soil, and was 

 also carefully surrounded with sand. Sand was then heaped 

 completely over the scions, and the rest filled in with soil, 

 thus making a bank, which covered the grafts to a depth of 

 about 2 inches, as shown in Fig. 178. 



p 2 



