CHAPTER XVI 

 MISCELLANIES 



THERE yet remain several phases of grape-culture essential 

 to success, none of which quite deserves a chapter and none of 

 which properly falls into any of the foregoing chapters. The 

 subjects are not closely related, are by no means of equal im- 

 portance, yet all are too important to be relegated to the limbo 

 of an appendix and are, therefore, thrown into a chapter of 

 miscellanies. 



CROSS-POLLINATION 



The blooming of the vine had little significance to the grape- 

 grower, the blooming period being so late that grapes are sel- 

 dom caught by frost, until the discovery was made that many 

 varieties of grapes are unable to fertilize themselves, and that 

 failure of crops of these varieties was often due to the self- 

 sterility of the variety. Until this discovery, the uncertainty 

 attending the setting of the grape in these varieties was one of 

 the discouragements of grape-growing. Following investiga- 

 tions of the self-sterility of the tree-fruits, an investigation of 

 the grape showed that the vines of this fruit are often self- 

 sterile. This knowledge has in some degree modified the plant- 

 ing of all home collections and has more or less affected the 

 plantings of commercial sorts. 



Varieties of American grapes show T most remarkable differ- 

 ences in the degree of self-fertility. Many sorts fruit per- 

 fectly without cross-pollination. Others set no fruit whatso- 

 ever if cross-pollination is not provided for. Most varieties, 

 however, are found in groups between the tw r o extremes, neither 



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