774 FRUIT CULTURE IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 



The vine is propagated from cuttings, by grafting, by layering, from 

 eyes, and by seed. 



The vines propagated from cuttings, graftings, layering, and from eyes, 

 being the direct issue of wood centuries old without intermixture, are 

 sooner or later liable to run out by impoverishment and produce numer 

 ous diseases and evils, and lastly the phylloxera, although it is said 

 that a well-manured and well-kept vine will not be troubled by the lat- 

 ter pest. 



Propagation from seed is the most natural, and more important and 

 certain of success than all others. It is from seeds that the innumer- 

 able varieties are obtained. A vineyard reared from seed will not be 

 troubled by the phylloxera, even if the surrounding vineyards are all 

 infested with the pest. The strong phosphor and youth in the vine 

 raised from seeds will not permit the phylloxera to live ; whereas the 

 exhausted vine raised from cuttings, the origin of which is perhaps 

 centuries old, and which have lost those peculiar defensive fluids of 

 phosphor and potash, will breed the phylloxera, in the same manner as 

 parasites and other miseries are created on old, wasted, careless men 

 or poor animals. 



Propagation from seed is a very simple operation. Obtain seeds from 

 all the finest varieties of grapes and raisins; sow the seeds in compost of 

 loam, sandy soil, and dung manure, equal quantities, in the month of Janu- 

 ary or February if in Upper California, or in November or December in 

 Lower California. They will grow rapidly, and as soon as they can be 

 handled well plant out the desired distance 5 or 6 feet each way, and water 

 well with manure water, and they will make a good growth the first sea- 

 son. They should be fastened as they advance to prevent the wind from 

 breaking them, and they may be then treated and trained like plants 

 from cuttings or eyes as soon as they are large enough. On the sixth 

 year they will bear fruit, which will improve in size and quality as they 

 advance in age. On the seventh year the selection is made, leaving the 

 finest varieties, and grafting those varieties which may not be found 

 acceptable ; they can be grafted from the others or from any other old 

 plants, as the young roots will stand the attacks of all pests. When no 

 selection of new varieties is desired, seedlings can be grafted when two 

 years old of cuttings imported from foreign countries of the^ finest, 

 choicest varieties. When planted the results are uncertain, according to 

 the nature of the new soil when they are set, while choice seeds on new 

 soil are certain of producing some of the most excellent varieties, par- 

 ticularly if the young plants are encouraged by attentive cultivation. 



Manures. Eeturn to the vine all that which it has given with frhe 

 exception of the wine. Here is the great reform, of easy execution and 

 fecund results. The lees and drosses of the wine-press and of the casks 

 where the wines have fermented, the skins of the grapes, the ashes of the 

 cuttings, and the residue of the distillery after evaporation has taken 

 place until dry in the open air these are the most precious manures 

 for the vine, owing to their richness in alkaline salts. 



