96 MANUAL OF AMERICAN GRAPE-GROWING 



under irrigation or not is a local and often an individual ques- 

 tion answered with regard to several conditions; as the local 

 rainfall, the depth and character of the soil, the cost of water 

 and ease of irrigation. These conditions are all correlated and 

 make about the most complex and difficult problem the growers 

 of grapes in semi-arid regions have to solve. As long, however, 

 as the grape-grower can grow fairly vigorous vines and harvest 

 a fairly bountiful crop by natural rainfall, he should not irri- 

 gate ; for, even though the crop offsets the cost, there are several 

 objections to growing grapes under irrigation. The vines are 

 subject to more diseases and physiological troubles ; the fruit 

 is said to lack aroma and flavor ; grapes grown on irrigated 

 land do not stand shipment well, the unduly inflated grapes 

 often bursting; wine-makers do not like irrigated grapes as 

 well as those from non-irrigated lands; and watery grapes 

 from irrigated lands make inferior raisins. It is maintained, 

 however, with a show of reason, that grapes suffer in irrigated 

 vineyards in the ways set forth only when the vines are over- 

 or improperly irrigated. 



