475 



INFERTILE GKAPE VINES. 



the vines have set their fruit, any that are sterile or 

 fail to carry a crop commensurate with their vigour more forcibly 

 attract attention. 



This non -setting is the result of a variety of causes, and an 

 understanding of what these causes 

 may be enables one to alter conditions 

 which bring them about and so apply 

 the remedy. .By setting of the fruit 

 is understood the proper fertilisation 

 of the ovary. This occurs in the 

 spring of the year, and wherever grape 

 vines are grown under artificial condi- 

 tions of shelter, etc., it proves an 

 anxious time to all cultivators of the 

 vine. 



In Western Australia, where the 

 open air climatic conditions in the 

 spring are in every respect favourable 

 to the proper fertilisation of the 

 ovaries, grapes set without trouble 

 and with great perfection. Yet 

 individual exceptions are occasionally 

 met with, which are subject to the 

 following conditions : 



I. Climatic conditions which 

 cause non -setting. 



II. Structural or constitutional 



FIG. 1. Bunch of grapes showing 



complete non-setting. delects. 



In the first instance it is important to understand how the 

 grape vine blossoms set. 



FIG. 2. Normal buds 

 before fertilisation. 



FIG. 3. Normal flowers 

 after fertilisation. 



