GRAPE MANUAL. 



15 



grown from cuttings or single eyes, of mature, 

 healthy wood. The disposition to multiply the 

 new varieties of grapes rapidly, has led to the 

 production of vast numbers of vines from sum- 

 mer layers, or, still worse, from green cuttings. 

 The plants so produced usually prove only a 

 disappointment to the planter, and greatly in- 

 jure the reputation of new varieties 



Our German and French vine-dressers gene- 

 rally practiced growing vines from long cut- 

 tings, but short (two or three eye) cuttings will 

 undoubtedly make stronger and better ripened 

 roots. Others again have obtained the best re- 

 sults from single eye plants, and consequently 

 prefer them. We have tried all, and find that 

 it makes very little difference how the vine has 

 been raised, provided it has strong, firm, healthy, 

 well-ripened roots. (We never found any grown 

 from green or unhealthy wood or from long 

 cuttings that had them.) As a general rule, a 

 well grown vine is in its best condition for plant- 

 ing when one year old. Fuller and some other 

 good authorities prefer two-year old, trans- 

 planted vines ; vines older than two years should 

 not be planted, and so-called extra large layers 

 " for immediate bearing,'* are a humbug. 



There is, however, one method of propagating 

 the grape, namely, by GRAFTS, which belongs 

 more properly to the sphere of the cultivator, 

 the vineyardist, than the nurseryman or propa- 

 gator; and which, owing to the ravages of the 

 Phylloxera, is becoming of unprecedented im- 

 portance, and presents itself under almost en- 

 tirely new aspects. 



GRAFTING. 



The researches of our scientists, prominent 

 among them our friend. Prof. Riley, enable us 

 now to form pretty accurate estimates of the 

 resisting powers of the roots of different va- 

 rieties, and we find that the premature decay 

 and short-lived existence of the vines of most 

 of our finer varieties of the Labrusca class, (its 

 Southern group) as well as nearly all the Hy- 

 brids having blood of the vinefera class, must 

 be mainly attributed to the attacks of the in- 

 sect. 



How far we possess a remedy to this, by 

 GRAFTING such kinds on those of acknowledged 

 greater resistance, is a question which is as yet 

 not fully determined and still open to further 

 test and experiments, but which deserves the 

 greatest attention. Another object for which 

 grafting is very desirable is the early testing of 

 new varieties. By grafting on a vigorous bear- 

 ing vine we will generally obtain bearing wood, 



and sometimes even fruit, the first season. We 

 are also enabled by grafting to turn old vigor- 

 ous vines of perhaps some worthless variety to 

 good account, as with a little trouble and care 

 and the loss of only one year, we can change 

 them into some choice and valuable variety. But 

 before we enter into details of the " modus 

 operandi " of grafting, we will first speak of 

 the conditions generally considered essential to 

 the successful performance of the operation. 



First. THE STOCK. Though from our own 

 experience we can not side with those who 

 claim that the stock and scion should in all 

 cases belong to the same class to insure perfect 

 success, it is still worth while to give this point 

 a little consideration. The general experience 

 seems to prove that the stocks of the Cordifolia 

 class, of which we may take the Clinton as the 

 type, do not unite readily with varieties of the 

 .^Estivalis or Labrusca, though we know of 

 numerous instances where they did unite per- 

 fectly and formed fine and healthy vines. But 

 aside from this there is a great objection to the 

 Clinton class on account of its tendency to throw 

 up suckers from the old stock, even for years 

 after the graft has become established, which 

 requires constant care and watchfulness that 

 these suckers, which generally grow with re- 

 markable vigor, do not usurp the place we have 

 assigned to the grafted scion. This objection 

 falls away almost entirely with the other classes 

 after the first season, and once the graft is grow- 

 ing vigorously. 



A point which is of far more importance is 

 Ihe perfect health and vigor of the stock. We 

 should never select a sickly or diseased vine, 

 nor one subject to the attacks of the Phylloxera 

 as a stock to graft upon. Even if the graft 

 should live it will thrive but poorly, unless in- 

 deed it belongs to some very vigorous variety, 

 and is grafted deep enough below the surface, 

 where it may form its own roots, which will 

 then support it entirely, and it will soon dis- 

 solve its union with the unhealthy stock. But 

 even then it will require years to overcome the 

 effects of the uncongenial partnership. If the 

 object is to guard a variety subject to the Phyl- 

 loxera against the ravages of this insect, we 

 should select for the stock a vine of a strong and 

 vigorous variety, which possesses recognized 

 powers of resistance to the insect. The graft 

 should then be inserted as near the surface of 

 the ground as possible, and where practicable 

 even above it. Some have asserted that the 

 stock and scion should be of varieties as near 

 alike as possible in vigor of growth, but with 



