UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. BUI.I.ET1N NO. 46. Grafting and Frniting of Resistant Vines. In a bulletin issued two weeks ago, the re- sults of a large-scale experiment in grafting the California wild vine were presented, showing an unusually favorable outcome both as regards the percentage of successes in grafting on two year-old stociks, and the remarkably early and abundant bearing of the grafts: these facts be- ing entirely in accord with the results of well- guarded experiments made heretofore both at the University and elsewhere. I am now en- abled to present a statement from Prof. George Husmann, of Napa, giving the results of his ex- perience in grafting on resistant stocks of other varieties of the tvsiivalis and riparia class. This statement is the more interesting as it in- cludes trials, alongside of one another and on soils greatly varied^ not only of these different stocks, but also of grafts in great variety, both of American and European, or rinifera origin. The claims of theces^em//s (or Eastern summer grape) varieties to our attention, as vigorous re- sistant stocks, have hardly received sufficient consideration as yet. In the selection of the stocks to be used in a given locality, their nat- ural habits should not be overlooked ; for the more nearly the conditions of these are realized, the more vigorous and long-lived will the stock be, other things being equal. The natural "habitat" of the riparia or riverside grape is' that which its name indica^tes. The same is true of the cordifoUa, neither of the two being, in their natural condition, found outside of, or far from, the bottoms or borders of streams. Good culture can, of course, in a great measure replace these natural conditions- yet under stress of season or soil, the original adaptation will make itself felt more or less, and will frequently turn the scale for or against a paying crop. The wild a^itivalis grape is prevalently found in the uplands of the Mississippi valley, although It very commonly descends into the valleys of the smaller streams; it is never found within the larger bottoms. This implies that it needs a smaller supply of moisture for its full develop- ment, and that while it can flourish even with *wet feet," Its preference lie& towards well- drained soils. This greater adaptability is a matter of no mean importanqe, especially when It IS understood that in the Mississippi valley there is on the whole a much wider difference between upland and bottom soils than is ordin- arily the case on the Pacific Coast; a natural result of the difference in respect to rainfall. The rather a slow grower, but very hardy, and makes a stock of very good shape for grafting. J ust as every intelligent fruit grower will carefully consider, when planting an orchard, what will be the stocks best adapted to his soil and locality; so the grape-grower must con sider, so far as experience or other considera- tions can forecast it, which among the resistent grape stocks will be likely to do best in his vineyard. An improper choice will be just as fatal to success in one case as in the other; there is no one stock that is adapted to aZ^ cases. E. W. HiLGARD. Berkeley, October 29, 1885. Talcoa Vineyards, Napa, Oct. 24, 1885. Prof. E. W. HVgard, State University, Berke ley, Cal. — Dear Sir: — As you desire reports about resistant vines, and grafting thereon, 1 will give a short resume of my experience here on perhaps the most difficult and varied piece of ground to be found in the State; being, '•spotted" with tough adobe, hard-pan alkali, | *poor stony soil, and rich alluvial lands, and iherefore a harder and more severe test for them than is ordinarily found. The new vineyards at this place, comprising about 150 acres, were planted by me mostly in 1382. The varieties planted were for immedi- ate bearing: Lenoir, Herbemont, Cynthiana, Rulander and Norton's Virginia, all cestivalis varieties; and for graftine:, about 10,000 wild riparia seedlings, 15,000 Clinton, and some few thousand each of other ,Wji?amt varieties, such ^ as Elvira, Missouri Riesltog, Taylor, UWanti^' Amber, Pearl, Marion, etc. Each variety ?uoa, in moat instances, from one end of the viiae^ard to the other, thus getting the benefit or disad- vantage, as the case may be, of a variety of soils. In another piece of land we planted rupestris cuttings the same season, which also have about the same diversity of soils. I find a great difference in growth on the different soils, the most vigorous being on the alluvial and adobe, the poorest on tne hard-pan alkali. This may be considered applicable to all varieties planted, although the Herbemont seems to grow and succeed best an all soils. A piece of about an acre of the last named variety, planted in 1881, has been in partial bearing for two years, has always set its fruit well and ripened evenly. The same was the case this year, when it bore a very heavy crop, many of the vines produc- ing 40 to 50 lbs each, and ripening their fruit evenly and well, the must showing 24° on Ball- ing's scale on the 5bh day of this month. All the cpstivalis varieties, however, need a si:^ foot stake, and long pruning on canes or arms, to show their full bearing capacity. The same may be said of the Rulander or St. Genevieve, which set well and bore a splendid crop on three-year-old vines, must showing 26° Balling the 28th of September, when we picked them. The Lenoir, Norton's and Cynthiana set but a very light crop, owing, as I think, to the high winds which prevailed here all summer. They ripened early in September, Lenoir showing 27% Norton's 30% Cynthiana 32" Balling, the must being of an exceedingly dark color, purplish black. All promise to make very fine wines, and as the vines are yet too young to show their full bearing capacity, I hope for a better yield next year. In the spring of 1884 we grafted what was strong enough of the wild riparia, and the riparla varieties, although from the difficulties presented by the soil already mentioned, we had a very uneven stand. Our method was common cleft grafting, and has been described before. We grafted on the wild rijuwia seed- lings, as follows: Sultana, Green Hungarian, Sauvignon Yert, Marsanne and Franken Ries- ling (Sylvaner). A part of the last two varieties, five rows, were grafted on Elvira, running par- allel through the blocks with the riparia. The great majority of the grafts took well, made a firm junction and a very strong growth where the vines were on favorable soil, but on the Elvira the success was rather more uniform and the growth stronger than on the wild rqiaria. The balance of our grafts were mostly on Clin- ton, which proved a much more satisfactory stock than I had anticipated, being in that re- spect as good as the wild riparia, and taking the graft readily. The grafts on Clinton wera Herbemont, Lenoir, Pedro Ximenes, Chauche Gris, Traminer, Rulander or Grey Clevner, Petit Pinot, Gamav, Teinturier, Mataro and Grosse Blaue. The' Taylor, although a very strong grower, does not seem to take the graft as readily as the three varieties named before, as our success was not as uniform and satis- factory. ^ 1 i. The grafts produced some fruit last year, were pruned for bearing last winter, accordmg to their strength, and most of them bore very heavily: with a great diflference, however, in the same variety where they Were exposed to the full force of the wind or sheltered by the hillside, the latter producing more than double. The yield was especially heavy on Green Hungarian, Marsanne, Sau- vignon Vert and Mataro. In a good many instances we gathered 30 to 40 pounds of Marsanne and Green Hungarian from a single graft, and the growth of wood for next year's crop is also strong and well ripened. The junction is so complete that it is hardly per- ceptible now, and the whole operation is a com- plete success. The branches were very large and heavy, and the berries full size and of ex- cellent quality, as a number of visitors, Messrs. E. H. Rixford and Wickson among them, can testify. Our wines, made from each variety separately, are fully fermented and many of them clear now. When the time comes I shall take great pleasure in sending you samples of them for tasting and analysis. I am fully satisfied that instead of losing j time by planting resistant vines and grafting them, the grafts will bear more and earlier than the same varieties would do on their own roots, on account of the increased vigor caused by the stronger growth of the stock. As to the alleged inferiority of the fruit and wine from such grafts, it seems too ridiculous for any one at all familiar with the laws govern- ing horticulture, and the influence of the stock on the scion, to need refutation. In the case I of grafts on vines, I have found, during a practice and observation of 35 years, that a stronger I stock also imparts a more vigorous growth of wood, and we all know that the more vigorous the tree or plant, the larger and more perfect will be its fruit. That such stronger growth also requires longer pruning to equalize the strength of the root and top, is self-evident, but I have yet to learn that our growers would object to the increased yield resulting their- from. In my opinion, the greatest perfection of the grape depends upon having just as much to bear each season as it can ripen in perfec- tion. If we overload it, inferior, insipid fruit will be the result, and a feeble growth of wood, which will also not ripen fully. If, on the contrary, we prune too short, a rank, succulent growth, black knot, coulure, etc., will be the re- ,8ult, and the fruit will also suffer accordingly. On this nice balancing of the powers of the vine, more of the success of the vintner depends than many are aware of. That resistant vines, planted on soil of ordi- nary fertility, are and will be a success, I am confident beyond a doubt. That thousands of acres have been planted to vines in this State, which are entirely unfit for resistants or any other vines, I am also convinced, and the sooner our people learn that even a grapevine will not grow in waste and barren places, too poor to produce even sagebrush, the better it will be for the industry. Yours sincerely, George Hcsmann.