477 



Climatic conditions, it must be evident to all who have any 

 experience of Western Australian climate, are here in every way 

 favourable to the free setting of the grape vine blossoms. Even 

 the muscat of Alexandria, that queen of all grapes, which is 

 discarded in the Eastern States on account of its defective 

 setting, fruits here to perfection. In the coastal districts, especially 

 from the Murray Estuary as a Southern limit to the Murchison at 

 the North, a badly set bunch is more the exception than the rule. 

 The climatic conditions which are unfavourable to the free setting 

 of grapes are in the main sudden and excessive changes in the 

 temperature ; persistent rain or drying land winds at the period the 

 blossoms are opening. 



When vines fail to set properly on that account, either pinching 

 back of the fruitful shoots or ringbarking under the joint from 

 which issues the bunch will, if practised a few days before the 

 blossoming, cause it to set better. (See figures 7 and 7 A.) 



Constitutional defects very often cause bad setting. 



The following figs, show at a glance in what respect some 

 flowers show malformation : 



FIG. 8. (a.) Perfect flower. 



( b.) Eeflexed stamens. 

 ( c.) Staminate flower. 



Whenever the stamens fall away from the pistil and are 

 deflexed the act of pollination cannot very well take place and the 

 bunch sets badly. 



It sometimes happens that the pistil is altogether absent, and 

 as this organ contains at its base the ovaries or germ of the future 

 fruit, that absence means permanent sterility. 



FIGS. 9 and 10. Sterile flowers opening rose-like. 



