UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. BULLETIN NO. 34. Experiments on the Growth of Cuttings from Wild American Vines. [The subjoined report of Mr. W. G. Klee, gardener in charge of the experimental grounds at the University, on the results of experiments made on the relative facility of ro ting and the root and stem growth of cuttings from wild American vines, was received too late for h ser- tion into the annual report, lately published. It is here given in advance of the issuance of the viticultural appendix to the above report, as it will be of interest to those especially who are looking to the grafting of European grape vari- eties on resistant stocks as a safeguard against the phylloxera. It will be timely to state, in this connection, that within the last few days (March 9th) that insect has been observed by Mr. F. W. Morse to be already actively engaged in the operation of egg-laying. This is being done, not by in- dividuals hatched from any "winter egg," but simply by surviving adults of last season's late brood; while many semi-adults are rapidly de- veloping toward maturity. It thus appears that the destruction of the winter egg, to which so much importanse is attached in France, would with us serve only the purpose of restrict- ing somewhat the farther infection from the outside, but would not be likely to impair per- ceptibly the progress of the pest on vines al- ready infested.] In a previous report (1882) an account was given of some experiments in growing wild grape vines from seed, as also of the influence or carbon bisulphide upon the cuttings disin- fected by means of its vapor. It was deemed desirable to iustitute comparative experiments on the facility with which the native Californian and Arizonian vines can be grown from cuttings. For the sake of farther comparison, cuttings of the summer grape ( Viti* castivalis) and of the northern and southern Riverside grapes ( Vitis riparia aud cordtfolia respectively) were also planted under precisely similar circumstances. All the cuttings were taken from vines growing in the garden of economic plants, and without exception wholly of the previous season's wood, which was very thin, being on the a verage not more than one-sixth inch in diameter. The cuttings were all made about the same time, viz, at the end of December, 1S83; and were cut 8 to 9 inches long. Soon after they were pu underground in a shady place, and there remained until planting time. The soil of the nursery bed being a rather heavy loam, its condition was improved by a heavy dressing of barnyard manure, aud with the subsequent addition of 50 pounds of quick- lime to an area of 20x^0 feet, or about l-72d part of an acre. At the beginning of April the bed was deeply dug with foiks, and on April 6th the cutting* were planted, aome Hand being spread in the bottom of tiie trench to facilitate rooting. Drills were placed 18 inches apart, and cuttings 4 to 6 inch; a in the row, two eyes being left above grouud, the lower one just at the surface. The Vitis riparia was the firt,t o start, and was followed in eight or ten days by the Arizonica; the Oalifornica bdng the list, fully tnree weeks after the riparia, and starting quite slowly. Tne aistivali* started a trifle sooner than the last mentioned. L ^During the season ( which, as will be remem- bered, was quite a moist one) the bed did not receive any watering, but was kept clean and well worked. Small as these cuttings were, their growth has been very good, aud as shown in the table be- low, a large percentage of all the varieties rooted; each kind exhibiting its peculiar habit of growth. The riparia, which started first, was also the first to stop, the leaves all turning yellow at the end of September. The Arizonica, at the same time, showed signs of having made all its growth but kept a good green color; while the CaliJ arnica still continued to grow vigorously. The same order, precisely, was observed in the 4 year-old vines from which the cuttings had been taken, so that it doubtless represents fairly the respective habits in this climate. Tne bed at the time presented an interesting sight; the HpaHa with its long spreading canes and fading color contrasting strikingly with the bushlike, upright habit of the Arizouian vine, and both with the running but more robust habit of the Californian. The leaves of the lat- ter only yielded to frost and remained on the canes until spring. The Arizonica dropped them soon after the first frost. The following table shows at a glance the main points in the growth of the several species. Name. Per cent of cut- tings growing Average length of canes — feet Diameter at root crown — inch 95 3.1-2 3-8ths. 97 2.0 5-16ths. Vitis Calif ornica 85 3.0 7-16ths. 85 | 2.0 3to4-16ths The roots of the cuttings exhibit the same striking differences observed in the seedlings of the same species. The Californian vifie has by far the most vigorous roots, as well as the smallest number, and these strike directly downwards. The roots of the Arizonica are next in vigor, and also strike straight down- wards, but are much tougher in texture. The riparia has a great profusion of roots, but of a thickness of stein or root-crown necessary for grafting. Oue-year-old seedlings were very successfully grafted on that occasion; and although this might not be practicable in the open ground, the advantage afforded by the Californica in this respect is well worthy of consideration. The Eastern riparia comes next in the rapid development of preading habit, apparently seeking T U "V * V u«vmupn en* °i L the surface; a habit it always stem; * nd * mu * testl J y trom P~ l ex P e " and to which its early riparia and in deep soils, or where roots can hu h race h „ j ^ end b penetrate deeply into the substratum it should smft _ Ths s floial hahit of a , ' e rience during the past season, to the extra ordinary growth made on good soil by riparia much more s; to remain near retains when olde^ starting may in part be due The nivalis, cutti a ~( anted evea aft - th ha( j- - ^ although apparently the smallest and weakest aQ . & ^ , h ft j . thiS respect, quite grower, yet develops a powerful root system nnlike the , lo B w .growing nivalis stock; but ^^J^^^S^J^SS^J^*!! itatUlremanu. to be determined whether in to the portion do well. Its roots are during the first few pert . of the riparia roots leads to the presumption years stronger m proportion to the top than is d rf f ^ ioQ f V the J C ^ 6 !L i *^L^jS O 1 _ 0 ^.*??^_*!!? e ?i thrown out of action, if not actually killed, by and this speaks strongly in its favor for use as a grafting stock. As it is in many cases of importance to be severe drought and heat, at least in some soils. It is fairly presumable that this cannot remain without influence on the vine's vigor of growth able to distinguish the canes of the several wild during the time when it is most needed, viz., when the grape is forming. Yet it is at least possible that the extraordinary vigor shown by the riparia on rich soils will offset the presump- tive disadvantage. Since the species is orig- inally at home in rich lowlands, it is presumable that its best use as a stock will be in corres- ponding soils here also. The aestivalis (and Lmoir) stock, on the contrary, is quite at home in the uplands and is quite resistant of drought, as well as content with inferior soils. A most important point to be considered is the relative earliness of the several resistant stocks. However little the stock may specifi- cally influence the character of the fruit, it can- not be doubted that one and the same grape variety grafted on the riparia on the one ^jhand and on the Californica on the other, would be materially influenced in the earliness of its start in spring, as well as in he maturity of its fruit, by the roots upon which they are severally dependent for the rise of the sap. The rupestris is even a more extreme case than the riparia, for this spring it has started on an average at least one week in advance of the riparia on the same soil; making possible, according to Mr. Klee's estimate, a difference of nearly four weeks as between Californica and rupestris. In my vine- yard at Mission San Jose, the actual difference this season has been about three weeks. This consideration becomes very serious in relation to damage from frost, which would be much greater on riparia roots than on those of the Californica. Again, as regards the ripen- ing of grape varieties which it would be de- sirable to blend, and which yet ripen too far apart in time to be fermented together, it might be practicable to retard the one and ad- vance the other by judicious selection of the stock, so that both should ripen nearly, or qiite at the same time. In this respect, as well as with reference to the proper adaptation of stocks to soils in our climate, a multitude of questions remains to be determined — questions, too, of such o^ lous and vital importance that systematic work in that direction cannot be too speedily begun. E. W. Htlgard. Berkeley, March, 12, 1885. species from each other, I call attention to the distinctive characters afforded by the configur- ation of the pith at the nodes or eyes, when a joint is cut lengthwise; a subject to which at- tention was first called by the late Dr. Engel mann, and of which examples referring to East- ern species are figured in the Bushberg cata logue for 1884. In these figures the pith of the ri paria shows at the node a thin cross partition; in the cor di folia or southern Riverside grape, this partition is quite thick. In the southern Musca- dine or Scuppernoug grape ( V. vulpina), the parti- tion is entirely absent; while present, in varied forms, in all the other American species. The difference between the V. Californica and Ari- zonica in respect to the partition is almost pre- cisely the same as that between the cordifolia aud riparia, and will serve to distinguish the cuttings from each other, the cross partition in the Arizonica being quite thin. Figures are, of course, needed to illustrate these points more exactly, but when once noted they are easily recognized. — W. G. Klee. The above record of observations made by Mr. Klee are confirmed by the experience of others, had during the past season. As regards, first, the rooting of Californica cuttings, the samn percentage result as to success is reported by Messrs. Coates & Tool of Napa, who state that while they have had little success with cuttings from wild vines, they are well satis- fied with the outcome from cuttings made from cultivated Californica stocks. Mr. J. H. Wheeler reports similar success. The same ^eems to be true of the Arizonica, which was at first reported to root with great difficulty. It is true that the season of 1884 was an unusually favorable one for the rooting of cuttings; but in nursery the same conditions can be artificially kept up at any time. As concerns the use of the several species for grafting stocks, it appears that, as was shown by experiments made on the University grounds in 1881 and 1882 in respect to seedlings, the native Californian stock acquires quickest of all the