CULTURE OF TUE VINE IN COGNAC. 821 



rotique. But, grafted, it is rapidly stunted. In land of Groie the grafts exist, do not 

 turn yellow much, but remain very feeble. When the ground is broken up and ma- 

 nured, it is better. It gives good enough results under these conditions. But really 

 it is only in flinty, moist lands that Solonis should be planted. There it is the best 

 graft-bearer of all. When it has been planted side by side with lliparia, York, etc., 

 in such conditions, its vigor was always superior to them ; but for land of Groie it 

 must be entirely abandoned. 



Novo Mexicana. According to Mr. Vialla, hybride of Ruparia and Mustang, and 

 consequently related to Solonis, to which besides it offers the greatest analogy. Novo- 

 Mexicana, then, is a group of hybrids only dissimilar by very little. Solonia is one 

 of these hybrids. It resists chlorosio, like Solonis, better than many other vines ; but 

 it has been cultivated for so short a time in France that we can not pronounce upon 

 its value. In one of our experimental fields of Champagne it turned yellow, but less 

 than Solouts. In ordinary lands it is vigorous and well adapts slips, but it has not 

 yet acquired resistance of phylloxera. It is, then, an interesting vine for study ; but 

 too great hopes must not be placed upon it. Among its many varieties a choice 

 should be made. Mr. Vialla sent me lately a remarkable species, called Nova Mexi- 

 cana d'Hutchon. 



Fo-fc Madeira. This vine is recommended for dry lands. It succeeds there very 

 well, and few phylloxera are found on its roots, but these dry lands ought not to be 

 calcareous. It does bettor in siliceous soil formed of big stones, with a little vegetal 

 earth and poorer than the soil of Rupestris. York is quite feeble whenever the siliceous 

 grains are unmixed with good earth and compact. In these conditions its grafts are 

 never very fine. They bear much fruit, too much, even, but it ripens badly. In 

 the calcareous land of Groie it does not turn yellow much, but its development there 

 is always so restrained that it can not well be utilized for plantations. In Champagne 

 lands it dies rapidly, and it is equally bad in moist, flinty soils. 



The Vialla aud Franklin should be planted in light, siliceous land, as it is only there 

 they will grow vigorously. If the proportion of calcaire is a little raised they soon 

 die, and they are also feeble in moist and stony soils. We pass by the Clinton and 

 Taylor, which have been almost abandoned as graft-bearers. 



The Oporto has been recommended for calcareous soil, but, I think, wrongly. It 

 is only vigorous in soils that suit Vialla, where it is even more vigorous than the 

 latter. 



The Champins. These vines, cultivated in France, are hybrids of Rupestris and 

 Mustang. Their characteristics are quite various. Some which are bushy with glit- 

 tering leaves, almost smooth, resemble Rupestris] others which are portly, dull 

 leaves, downy, as well as the branches, are more like Mustang. These vines do not 

 equally resist phylloxera. Although for the most part quite difficult to multiply 

 (the slips take badly, the layers only succeed), still, hopes are entertained for their 

 adaptation to bad soils. Some of them have so far resisted chlorosis, where Riparia 

 was torn up ; but the resistance of many of these hybrids to phylloxera is more than 

 doubtful. Some even died under the attacks of this parasite. And in the experi- 

 mental fields of Champagne all the species (Nos. 1, 2, 5, 10) which were cultivated 

 turned yellow the first year. Elsewhere they did well a little longer time, but only 

 to the moment of graftage. It is uncertain how they would do in land of Groie, as 

 they are not strong, and it is not likely that they will ever serve as graft-bearers in 

 these lands. The hybrid Champins, result of crossing Berlandieri, Monticola, etc., with 

 Mustang and what Mr. Vialla found in America, may prove to be better resistants of 

 phylloxera and less liable to chlorosis on account of their origin. I have not yet 

 made the trial. 



Huntington.Thia is a hybrid of JZuparia and Rupestris. According to Mr. Millardet, 

 it is allied to V. Labrusca. The tatter's influence must be feeble, for there is no well 

 1 <jfined characteristic of Lebrusca in the Iluntington. The fruit is not foxy ; the leaves 

 ' ^e entirely smooth as well as the branches and the tendrils are prolonged in some 

 r \ the branches. Until now this vine has been little used as a graft-bearer, on 



