The farmer and mechanic., 1915-06-08
GRATING VINIFERA VINEYARDS

For Various Reasons Growers Often
Wish TO Change the Variety OF
Grapes Which They Are Growing
One Way of Doing This i TO Graft
the old Vines With the Desired
Variety
(By 4. r. BIOLITTD.
The best time for grating depends
somewhat on the soil and climate, Du'
usually the latest CRAFTS dc the best
provided the scons are completely
dormant ana otherwise III good CON
dition. II the buds Of the sclons nave
started and the bark becomes loose,
many will fall. IN the sitter ana
wetter soils, much greater care i
necessary in choosing the time Tor
erafting/ The soil should be in such
a condition that IL will pulverlze
easily. Lumpy soil placed about the
graft will cause many failures.
More CRAFTS fail from an excess OF
moisture than from drying out. ms
moisture may be already in the soil,
or due TO rains after grating, or it
may simply be due TO the sap when
flows out Of the cut stump. The
amount OF sap that will flow out OF
vine two or more inches in diameter
is very considerable and quite suffl-
cient in many cases TO drown tne
graft This may be avoided by cut
ting off the vines one or two days be-
-
posed TO the air, in order that the
main flow Of sap may dry up. This
is good practice in all cases where the
vines are over Il inches IN
diameter
The first thing to do is to clear away
the earth from around the base of the
vine, making a pit about two feets IN
diameter. and two to three inches
With a slight blow Of a wooden mallet
the grating knife is driven one
eighth of an inch into both wood and
bark. (See Fig. CO. The chisel end
of the grating knife is then placed
in the mark and driven in an men OF
50, sufficient 10 open cleft wide
enough to allow the entrance of the
scion Gig. d. The scion is in
serted and when the chisel is released
and removed, the tension of the WOOD
will hold the scion firmly in place
Zig. E).
As soon as the scion is in place
all cut surface of stock and scion
should be carefully covered with {
couple Of inches Of moist, well-pulver
lied soil (See II, Fig. b and stake
driven in such a position that It VIII
support the first growth of the graft
The complete filling Of the hole may
be deferred for n few hours, eXcep
in extremely hot. dry weather, but no
deeper than the level at which th'
rafting is TO be done. The eartl
should be we'll cleaned off the stem
of the vine and the rough, dry bari
removed. (See 4 in illuStration). TIL
vine is then ready for decapitation
This is done by saving horizontal
in such place that about two inche
OF smooth, straight grain are left a
the top. (See in Fig. Al If tn
saving is done at or too near plac
where the grain Of the wood
crooked or curly, great difficulty wi
be found in making a good fit.
After leaving the decapitated vim
"a hours to bleed, it is ready for tn
insertion Of the scion. In maxim
the cleft, place should be chose
where the bark is smooth and SOunt
The cleft must be made by splittin,
long enough to run any risk of havin
the scion become even slightly dr.,
No wax, clay or similar material
needed. There is nothing better I
put around the union than mOis
loose soil. If the cleft is too lars
it is Il good practice to cover tt
cleft in the stock with a leaf or an.
thing that will exclude the soil. tt
filing up Of the hole With soil shou
be complete and the whole scion M
be covered up unless the soil has
tendency to bake When fipishe
each graft will be in the middle OF
4