CUL'iURE OF THE VINE IN COGNAC. 823 



vines. Some of them, however, have merit. That of Lessignun tfro <vs well with Mr. 

 Bouisset, and the Taylor, after four or five years, continues to grow vigorously in 

 land of Groie, according to Mr. Tord. But these vines are not adapted to chalky 

 soil. 



t'incrca-Rupestris. This vine is no better than Cinerea and inferior to Rupestris in 

 our experimental fields. In some bad lands of the South there is a variety quite fine, 

 but it is not of any interest to ourselves. Experiments are actually made with sev- 

 eral of these hybrids, sent to me by Messrs. Foex, Couderc, Millardet, and Grasset. 

 They have been too short a time in the fields to give an opinion, and we have but 

 live or six samples. Those which resist phylloxera best are Othello X Rupestrw, 

 SolonisX Othello, CanadaXRupestris, Cognac, etc. The American hybrids, by Franco- 

 Americans are greenest. CanadaxRupestris is also very fine with Mr. Couderc, in 

 Ardeche, and will surely be a good graft-bearer. 



Hybrids Franco- American. This name is assigned to crossings of a variety of vine 

 vinifera with any American vine. And during this report by vine of French origin, 

 must always be understood vine vinifera. 



Jacquez. As a direct producer this vine has been much cultivated in the south of 

 France, and it is now grafted almost exerywhere. In warmer latitudes the color of 

 the wine changes very rapidly, and in the north the fruit ripens badly and is very 

 susceptible to cryptogaraic diseases. It is advantageous as graft-bearer. A few years 

 ago when chlorosis generally prevailed among riparia vines, and they ceased for this 

 reason to multiply it, Jacquez grafts alone remained green. In very calcareous land 

 of marl Jacquez die, but much later than Riparia. They are fine graft-bearers for 

 most of our vines ; save, perhaps, Balzac or Mourve"de, which in most places are cov- 

 ered with excresences. It is so well adapted to grafts that after a short interval the 

 joint can not be distinguished. It is known already why these grafts are less fertile 

 than on Riparia. 



The affinity between subject and graft places the root in as good conditions as if it 

 were not grafted. The harmony is perfect and it is not therefore surprising that grafts 

 on Jacquez produce less than on Riparia, and they are fully as fertile as French vines 

 of the same age. 



Jacquez is especially remarkable for the facility with which it grows in very diverse 

 lands. In marl and chalky soil it is not a good graft-bearer, but it grows best there; 

 but in Champagne it is the only graft-bearer that succeeds well. It is not yet proved 

 that it resists phylloxera, or its reconstitution in calcareous soil would already be pos- 

 sible. In cold, flinty soil it also grows well. In a word, it grows like our French 

 vines and is at the same time hybrid of American vines, to which it owes its resist- 

 ance to phylloxera, and of a French vine, to which it owes its adaptation to all kinds 

 of land and resistance to chlorosis. And from these analogies it adopts easily most of 

 the grafts. 



But it is more sensitive to blight than Riparia, and this is a sign of great strength. 

 This defect can be remedied, too, by a longer slip, or perhaps by proper manure. 

 When grafts on Riparia grow feeble they should receive a compost of azotes ; here, on 

 the contrary, it should be manure of potash and phosphates. It is important to note 

 that Jacquez, hybrid Franco-American, resists better than its American generators 

 chlorosis, and consequently agree well with it as a graft-bearer, and develop as if 

 they had not been grafted. 



Othello, Canada, Triumph, etc. They make little resistance to phylloxera; but, as 

 direct producers, these hybrids are interesting species, found in our vineyards on 

 account of their facility of adaptation to very bad soils; and they enable us to judge 

 the value of species daily furnished to us by Messrs. Conders, Foex, Grasset, and 

 Millaudet. But whatever may be their value as direct producers, and the quality of 

 their fruit, they will never replace in renowned vineyards our ancient French va- 

 rieties. It is in their culture in very calcareous soils that I have to speak. They all 

 sustain a very high dose of calcaire. According to Chauzit, Othello, a hybrid of Clin- 

 ton of Canada, by Black Hamburg, will live in soils containing 50 per cent, of car- 

 15GA 28 



