Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-30
yITICULTURE.
Interesting Meeting of the NaPa Wine
Growers Association.

noon, was the most interesting anu t,iS
largest attended of any meeting since tie
organization of the society, some TWO years
ago. Grape-growerS and Wlne.ihakelS lIoili
al narts Of the country and vineyard men
from Solano and Sonoma counties were
present. The report that {. Il. Wetmore,
fhief Executive Officer of the State VIII
cultural Commission, was to address the
meeting. attracted a large attendance OF
those otherwise interested in the product OF
tba vine. The chief discussion before the
meeting was the subject of grating young
resistant vines Wetmore spoke on the
subject for nearly three hours, and the
closest attention was given to all his re-
marks on the matter and to his explana-
tons of the correct manner OF grating, SO
that the growth of sciOns would be made GER
tain Specimens Of gratis from different
vineyards and specimens OF graftlngs mace
by Wetmore were also exhibited and COM
pared, and it was clearly explained why
many vineyards had not been successful last
wear with grating Several members from
the St Helena district had last year met
with such poor success i'll grating resist
ant stock that the impression had prevailed
in other parts of the State that the resistant
stock could not be proftably grated with
success on account of the failure OF many
of the gratis to grow. Wetmore, by his
specimens of grating, convinced all present
that with due care exercised in the work,
and by using proper methods, success
world surely follow. He said that when
a Young resistant vine is grated the force
which is given to the early vegetation OF the
spring comes from the powers OF the root,
which sends upward the moisture gathered
from the soil. This moisture, commune
eating with the scion, develops the new
vegetation rapidly, and coming in contact
with the green part of The new growth, IS
partly evaporated and partly converted INTO
sap By the effect of heat and sunlight. This
sap proceeds to increase the tissues and
woody growth of the vine. IN forming
these new tissues under the bark OF the
vine the SAP ascends until it meets the OBJ
struction or break in the vine at the point
of the grating, and if it is not properly
done rootlets will be formed at the point
Of grating Ifthese small roots are allowed
to form and grow they viii carry into the
soil the true sap which is intended
to nourish and increase the growth
of the root on. which the scion is
grated. The union of this new layer
of the scion with the root is what is eX-
pected in forming union, ana in passing
this union it is this flow of sap which keeps
up the vitality and strength of the root
II roots are formed on the scion above the
point Of union, then the downward flow OF
san WIFI follow the small roots from the
scion rather than pass the place where the
graft is made The consequence is that
while the plant gets moisture from the
roots on which it is grated, It's growth is
increased in roots from the scion and not
by means of union with the roots upon
which the graft is made. Hence, after the
season is over, the scion having been fed
BY the root which is not receiving any sup
port, shows fine growth, and during the
winter the resistant root is apt to decay for
want of the support which it should have
received from the scion. Roots must not
be permitted to start from the scion. The
sap should be directed to theresistant roots,
ami those roots projecting above the place
of union must be cut of. Then the pros
pect is fair for the certain growth of the
scion. Grating should be done as near
to the surface as possible, though the
depths at which gratis can be safely made
DEPEND upon the nature of the soil and
season. \ ciayey soil is least conducive to
the growth of roots 4 piece of clay should
be carefully put around the vine at the
point of union. and the soil placed around
the scion until it is slightly covered and
the point Of grating should be marked
with q small stake to prevent its being dis
turbed during cultivation. In dry soils the
graf might be made. three or four inches
below the surface, and during the summer
the graft should be examined and all root
lets cut from above the point of grating
CLAY should be invariably used to cover the
point of the union. After the union has
been thoroughly formed q sure growth is
insured.
After Wetmore had spoken at length
upon the subject Of grating scions upon re-
sistant stock, f. ". Morse, of the State Uni
versitv, was called upon. He said that lie
had travelled much throughout the State
and through the districts in which the vino
ware! interests were predominant, and that
he found tina. the phylloxera pest was
gradually spreading itself throughout the
VINEYARDS ia 5onoma county. lie had eX-
uerimenled some with DR. Bauer's mercu-
rial remedy for the pest. He then related
10 the meeting hiS methods pursued in
using the remedy III SOnoma. DR.. Bauer 5
remedy IS mercury mixed with clay. which
mixture is placed around the vines. and the
claim for this remedy IS that the fumes Of
the quicksilver, rising by evaporation. are
destructive % the pest without being inju.-
ious 10 the vine.
Morse, In relating his experiences, said
that. first. 10 each of eighteen Oh twenty
vines 5he-e was applied hall an ounce Of
The mixture. placed ut depth Of ten inches,
in a hole about ten inches square. On some
vines two ounces were put, and on other
vines eight ounces were put. In one place
q furr1w was plowed along row OF vines.
rhc mixture was placed in the ttlrow mean
| the vines and piJWeI under. In 6omC
! places the mixture was put in cross fur
rows, and IN some places ii was applied t.