1 Ava., 1901.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 207 
Viticulture. 
WHAT TO GROW, AND HOW TO GROW IT. 
By E. H. RAINFORD, 
Instructor in Viticulture. 
So many applications have been made to the writer for advice as to what 
yarieties of grape vines to plant, soil to select, method of procedure, &c., that 
he has decided to write, in an article under the above title, a summary of the 
advice he has to give on the subject. Some points are necessarily touched on 
somewhat briefly ; but these have been or will be dealt with at greater length in 
separate articles, It, however, must be well understood that some recommen- 
dations may have to be modified to suit peculiar local conditions. Queensland 
is a country of such a size and it is provided with so many widely different 
soils, climates, and other physical conditions that what is sauce for the goose is 
not invariably sauce for the gander in this State; but, generally speaking, the 
advice given here will be found to suit most of the conditions under which 
vineyards have been or will be established, and if to it, the vigneron will join 
any experience of his own that he has gained, he cannot fail to be successful. 
It was said above that there are widely differing soils and climatic condi- 
tions which have to be taken into consideration in planting vines, but there is 
something else to be taken into consideration also, and that is, the different 
temperaments of the would-be vignerons, which would have a marked influence 
on the results, and which must be dealt with. To take this matter into hand, 
first we have the lazy man, the carcless man, and the painstaking man. 
To the lazy man the writer says at once, no matter where he is or what may 
be his soil or climate, “‘ Plant the Isabella.” 1¢is the vine that will just suit him; 
it can be planted on a rock, down a well, or ina marsh. He never ploughs it, 
cultivates it or chips it—never prunes it, or at most a few slashes with an old 
scythe are made to do the business. It will bear 1,000 bunches of three or four 
berries each, one-half ripe and one-half green. Picking these will give the 
children something to do and keep them out of mischief. The vine will make 
an excellent hen roost at night and clothes line by day, and if he runs it into 
the next paddock he can lease part of it to his neighbour. In times of drought 
it will feed the dairy herd, and when timber.is getting scarce he will get enough 
dead wood off it to keep the humpy in fuel for a couple of years. The best 
advice, then, that can be given to the lazy man is to stick to the Isabella, and 
don’t attempt to grow any other variety. 
To the careless man the writer’s advice is to plant the Syrian, or White 
Table as it is called. He gives it an occasional chip round and some kind of an 
apology for pruning; beyond that he does nothing. Notwithstanding this 
scurvy treatment, the vine will give you plenty of shade and a good many 
bunches of rather tasteless grapes. Do not let him try and run other varieties 
on these lines, but stick closely to the Syrian. 
Coming now to the painstaking man: Before the would-be vigneron puts in 
anything but a very small number of vines he should ask himself, ‘“‘ Have I the 
- time to give them the proper care and attention they require?” If he has any 
doubt on the point, then let him let viticulture alone, for unless a man is able 
and willing to give a vineyard a thorough good cultivation, it must turn out a 
failure. By cultivation, not only ploughing and scarifying are meant, but rational 
pruning, disbudding, topping, spraying, sulphuring, &c., all of which at one 
time or another are requisite. A. vigneron to be successful now, must grow 
fine-quality grapes, and that is only attained by scrupulous attention to details. 
oO 
