Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-11-07
RESISTANT VINES.
Ohacial Report as to Grating and Fruit
ing of Same,

Agricultural Experiment Station-Bulletin TO-
In bulletin issued two weeks ago the
results of a large-scale experiment in graft
ing the California wild vine were presented,
showing an unusually favorable outcome
both as regards the percentage OF successes
in grating on two-year-old stocks, and the
remarkably early and abundant bearing of
the gratis these facts being entirely in ac-
cord with the results of well-guarded ex
periments made heretofore, both at the
University and elsewhere. / am now en-
abled to present statement from Professor
George Husmann. of Napa, giving the re-
suits of his experience in grating on resist
ant stocks of other varieties of the FESTIVALS
and riparia class. This statement is the
more interesting as it includes trials, along
side of one another and on soils greatly
varied, not only of these different stocks,
but also of gratis III great variety, both of
American and European, or viniiera origin.
The claims Of the ;estivalis Cor Eastern
summer grape varieties to our attention,
as vigorous resistant stocks. have hardly
received sufficient consideration as yet In
the selection Of stocks to be used in given
locality, their natural habits should not be
overlooked for more nearly the conditions
of these are realized, the more vigorous and
iong-lived will the stock be, other things
being equal. The natural habitat" of the
rpaTia or riverside grape is that which its
name indicates. The same is true of the
cordifolia, 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;
vet under stress of season or soil, the origi-
nal adaptation will make itself felt more or
less, and Will frequently turn the scale for
or against paving crop.
The wild 9stiyalis grape is preyalently
found in the uplands of the Mississippi val
ley, 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 4 smaller supply
of moisture for its full development, and
that while it can flourish even with wet
feet, its preference lies towards we'll
drained soils. This greater adaptability is
matter OF no mean Importance especially
when 1t is understood thatin the Mississippi
valley there is on the whole much wider
difference between upland and bottom soils
than is ordinarily the case on the Pacific
coast natural result of the difference in
respect to rainfall. The estivalis will
therefore be content with soils OF rela-
lively inferior fertility, where the riparia,
and the still more rank feeding California;
would make but a feeble growth. This
TACT explains the very general acceptance of
Lenolr stock in Europe, where very pro-
ductive soils, like those of the virgin bot
toms of the Mississippi valley and espe-
cially California, are rare exception Like
all other stocks that may fairly be classed
as resistant for practical purposes, the
Lenolr may be overtaXed when too much
as asked of it in the way of frugality and
may thus occasionally succumb TO the at
tack of phylloxera; but in its proper place,
1t like other Gstivalis varieties proves a
most valuable stock
In the rupestris we have o very resistant
stock, whose native habits would seem 10
adapt it even more than the astivalis var
ieties to stony upland soils of only moder-
ate fertility, in which the riparia, as well as
the California;, would prove unsatisfactory
The rupestris is rather slow grower, but
very hardy, and makes a stock of very
good shape for grating.
Just as every int elligent fruit-grower will
carefully consider, when planting an or
chard what will be the stocks best adapted
10 his soil and locality SO the grape grower
must consider, so far as experience or other
considerations can forecast it, which among
the resistant grape stocks will be likely to
do best in his vineyard. An improper
choice will be Just as fatal to success in one
case rs in the other; there is no one stock
that is adapted to all cases.
E. w HILGARD.
Berkeley, October %, 1885.
TALcoA VINEYARDS, October a, 1885.
Prof. Z. ". HagGrd State University,
Berkeley, Cdl.-DEAR SIR: AS you desire
reports about resistant vines and grating
thereon, will give short resume of my
experience here on perhaps the most diff |
cult and varied piece of ground to be found |
in the State; being spotted with tough |
adobe, hard-pan alkai, poor stony SOIL |
and rich alluvial lands, and therefore !
harder and more severe test for them than |
is ordinarily found.
The new vineyards at this place, COM |
prising about $50 acres, were planted by |
me mostly in 1882. The varieties planted !
were for immediate bearing: Lenoir, Her
bemont Cynthiana, Rulander and Norton's |
Virginia, all ;estivaiS varieties; and for /,
grating about 10000 wild riparia seedlings. |
10000 Clinton, and some few thousand |
each Of other riparia varieties. such as
Elvira, Missouri Riesling, Taylor, INLAND, |
Amber, Pearl, Marion, etc. Each variety |
runs, IN most Instances, from one end of |
the vineyard to the other, thus getting the
benefit or disadvantage, as the case NAV
be, of variety of soils. In another piece
OF land we planted rupestris cuttings the
same season, which also have about the
same diversity of soils. 7 find great diff
ference in growth on the different soils, the
most vigorous being on the alluvial and
adobe, the poorest on the hard-pan alkali.
This may be considered applicable to all
varieties planted, although the Herbemont
seems TO grow and succeed best on all soils
= 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 very heavy crop, many of the vines
producing 40 to 80 pounds each and ripen-
ha /
showing 2i0 on Ballings scale on the 9TH
day of this month. All the estivalis vari-
cites however, need 4 siX-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. Genevieye.
which set well and bore q splendid crop on
three-yearold vines, must showing go |
Balling on the 2Sth of September, when we
picked them The Lenoir Norton's and |
Cynthiana set but a very light crop, owing. |
as l think, to the very high winds which !
prevailed here all summer. They ripened |
early in September, Lenoir showing 30, |
NortOn's BOZ, Cynthiana $50 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, |
| hope for a better yield next year
In the spring of 1884 we grated what !
was strong enough of the wild riparia, and |
the riparia varieties, although from the diff |
ticuldeS presented by the soil already men |
toned, we had very uneven stand. Our !
method was common cleft grating, and has /!
been described before. We grated on the |
wild riparia seedlings, as follows Sultana, |
Green Hungarian, Sauvignon Vert, Mar
same and Franken Riesling (Sylvaner). |
4 part of the last two varieties, five rows
were grated on Elvira, running parallel
through the blocks with the riparia The
great majority of the gratis took well, |
made firm junction and a very
strong growth where the vines were
on favorable soil, but on the
Elvira the success was rather more uni |
form and the growth stronger than on the
wild riparia. The balance of our gratis |
r-ara mostly on Clinton, rrh;nh r,rnN-oI :,