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seated cankers, they become “tuberosities,’ and the more numerous 
these tuberosities are on the roots of a vine the less resistant it is 
found to be to the attacks of the Phylloxera. 
To sum up the value of the American resistant vines to use as 
stock for grafting our European vines on, their degree of resistance 
is due to the fact—lst, that they are exceptionally luxuriant growers 
and impart to scion or graft both vigour and strength; 2nd, that 
the Phylloxera insects do not increase so rapidly on their roots; 
3rd, that the swelling of diseased tissues caused by the bite of the 
insects form at most only nodosities on the roots, and seldom tuber- 
osities or cankered ulcers, and that these swellings rapidly heal and 
leave the affected part as healthy as ever, little or no inconvenience 
heing suffered by the vine. 
Some fifteen years ago our Department of Agriculture intro- 
duced amongst a collection of valuable grapes some of the best 
American resistant vines, a description of which ig given below. 
Although the Phylloxera is non-existent in Western Aus- 
tralia, it was thought advisable to be prepared, if ever 
the pest should break out, with resistant stock. Since 
that time Mr. Fr. de Castella, the Government Viticulturist of 
Victoria, has mtroduced into Victoria, Phylloxera Resistant Hybrids 
of particular value for their adaptation. to Australian soil and clim- 
atie conditions, and for the readiness they carry grafts of cultivated 
European vines. Should it at any future time be found necessary 
to reconstitiitte our vineyards and re-establish them on phylloxera- 
proof roots, the Australian experience now being gained in Victoria 
should be of great value. 
Vitis Rupestris (the Rock or Sand Grape).—Of the two lead- 
ing species of resistant vines used to graft on, the Rupestris offers 
all the characteristics which should make it a favourite in Western 
Australia. In Europe, where the climate is moist in the summer 
months, the Riparia is often preferred on account of the readiness 
with which it takes the graft and the fact that it does not sucker 
as does the Rupestris. With us, however, the circumstances are not 
the same. The summer months are dry, and a deep-rooting vine 
stands a better chance of getting a good hold of the ground than 
does a shallow-rooted one. 
For soils that are dry, sandy, or gravelly, the Rupestris is 
therefore the vine to select. Should the ground be moist and fertile 
it will of course thrive the better, although under these circumstances 
the Riparia will excel it. Thus speaks Professor Viala, a recog- 
nised authority on viticulture, on Rupestris:—“Among the diverse 
form of Rupestris, we recommend the following from a strictly. 
practical point of view as the most valuable in replanting vine- 
yards: Rupestis Monticola (Du Lot or St. George”), Ruprestis Mar- 
* Norr.—The R. du Lot has now proved superior to the other three mentioned which 
are discarded for the hybrids 3306 and 3309 which are quite satisfactory in Victoria. 
